


We Keep Living Anyway

by cutielemon07



Series: Seasons of Hamilsquad [3]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Atlanta Falcons, Birthdays, College AU, Happy February!, Hospitals, Lots of couples, Minor Injuries, Modern AU, Multi, New England Patriots, Nonbinary Character, Nonbinary Marquis de Lafayette, Parents, Phone Calls, Pregnancy, Relationship Problems, Super Bowl, Teen Pregnancy, The Oscars, Unplanned Pregnancy, inaccurate depictions of romance, patriots vs falcons, this shit actually gets super depressing, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-09-21 14:38:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9553091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutielemon07/pseuds/cutielemon07
Summary: With Alexander Hamilton taking time out of the country, his friends are left to deal with life without him. With several strained relationships, an upcoming Valentine's Day and Peggy's refusal to tell Lafayette of her pregnancy, just how long can their friendships all survive without Alex?Brace yourselves folks, February's here.





	1. Prologue

There wasn't a single person who hadn't noticed Alexander Hamilton's absence. Especially John, who was struggling to pay rent. Ned had moved in with him, but it wasn't enough. He'd borrowed a loan from Philip Schuyler-who himself had been out protesting the treatment of refugees and acting like the senate minority leader that he was.

Peggy, however, still hadn't told Lafayette that she was pregnant. She hasn't told anybody except for Alex and he was gone now. She just had to struggle alone, wondering what to do with her life. Her ruined, ruined life. She was just sort of grateful that Lafayette was gone with their parents down to Mount Vernon; the Washington family estate, even though there had been a family emergency.

Although Peggy was grateful, Lafayette wasn't. They paced around the home they'd lived in before their foster father got a job teaching at Columbia University. It was because of George that Lafayette got in when they did. Well, it was probably down to them graduating high school a year early, but having a lecturer for a foster father certainly didn't hurt either. Then their thoughts turned back to Peggy. 

Peggy. What was she hiding? Something big. Something important. Was she failing her classes? She was definitely holding something back. Something that had been going on longer than Alex leaving. Maybe problems at home-her father _was_ always out busy protesting Donald Trump after all. And she _is_ a Daddy's Girl. They just wish she'd tell them. 

"Lafayette, what's wrong, buddy?" George asked. He'd noticed his foster child pacing the floor and looking agitated. 

"Oh, nothing." Lafayette lied. 

"I know when you're lying to me." George said. "You forget I've known you for years now."

Lafayette chuckled weakly. "It's just Peggy."

"Relationship issues?" George raised an eyebrow. 

"I suppose you could say that." Lafayette sighed. "I think she's hiding something."

"Is she failing college?" George asked. "If she is, I might be able to help."

"I'm not sure, George." Lafayette said. "I think she might be missing her father."

"Well, he _is_ busy. Busier." George corrected himself. "I think he's doing a fine job. But if her problems lie with Philip Schuyler then I don't know what can be done to correct it. Failing grades are easier."

"Maybe she just doesn't love me any more."

"I'm sure that's not true." George said. "I'm sure she-"

"What if she's trying to tell me that she doesn't love me anymore?" Lafayette asked sadly. 

"Lafayette, don't worry. With any luck, it's just bad grades." George paused when he realised what he said. "I can't believe I said that."

"Well, the world _is_ weird now." Lafayette said. "Might as well start calling me 'he' again."

"Are you comfortable with that?" George asked. 

A pause. "No."

"Then I won't call you 'he'." 

"But-"

"Look, it was a big adjustment when you realised you were non-binary." George said. "Not that it was a bad thing. We wanted to help, we wanted what was best for you."

Lafayette looked at George with tears eyes. "I'm scared."

"Why?"

"I'm still scared Peggy doesn't love me any more."

"Don't be." George said. "I'm sure everything is fine."

"How sure?" Lafayette asked. 

"Almost certain."

* * *

**_hunkules_** : Guys! Guess what?  
**_sallyh_** : yeah! Guess what?  
**_wait4it_** : okay, i'll bite.   
**_wait4it_** : what?  
**_sallyh_** : we've chosen a date.  
**_elizaluvspuppies_** : A date for what?  
**_hunkules_** : our Wedding.  
**_ActualAngel_** : What, really?  
**_sallyh_** : Yep!!!  
**marialewis** : when is it then?  
**_hunkules_** : July.  
**_Jmadison_** : July what?  
**_sallyh_** : July 15th!  
**_theoboostrump_** : Ehat year?  
**_hunkules_** : this one  
**_sallyh_** : this year.  
**_trtlfckr666_** : wait what?  
**_ActualAngel_** : Are you seriously getting married this year?  
**_hunkules_** : oh yeah.  
**_trtlfckr666_** : And Sally's parents are pkey with that?  
**_sallyh_** : Hercules went to meet my parents to ask them.  
**_hunkules_** : spoiler alert  
**_hunkules_** : they said yes.  
**_sallyh_** : Then again, I'm 21 so I could have eloped if I wanted.  
**_Jamadison_** : So you have a venue too?  
**_sallyh_** : We do.  
**_hunkules_** : Central Park  
**_marialewis_** : expensive.  
**_sallyh_** : actually we're just going to the registry office. And then we're gonna have a little get together in Central Park  
**_hunkules_** : And you're all invited!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, folks, to February! The most romantic month of the year! But... Maybe nor for the Hamilsquad. Almost every young relationship is in danger. John and Eliza are single because of Alex's break, James can't trust Thomas after he pushed him, Peggy is hiding a pregnancy from Lafayette, Theo's worried about losing her health insurance (and something else...), even Maria and Angelica are having their difficulties. But at least Hercules and Sally are doing okay, right?  
> This story will be unlike, and yet very like, my others in this series. There will be swearing, there will be pushing, there will be fighting, there will be stabbing, there will be birthdays, there will be surprise revelations and there will be American football.  
> Enjoy.  
> By the way, it's not too late to participate in the competition! Again, the best suggestion for Ned Stevens' Internet handle wins the following:  
> -Their suggestion being used in the story  
> -Internet points  
> -A small donation to Syrian refugees!  
> Two runners up will receive a shout out for their fic.  
> Any/everyone else will receive a shout out in my notes.  
> The winner will be announced on Super Bowl Sunday.  
> Good luck!


	2. When You Have a Problem, You Come Home

In the Jefferson-Madison apartment, James was staying away from Thomas. Though they shared the same bed, James made a point of sleeping on the couch. In fact, he was tempted to break up with Thomas and move out completely. And he wasn't too far from doing that. After Thomas' outburst in Alex's leaving party, James didn't know what he could expect from his fellow Virginian any more and he felt like he didn't even know Thomas at all, especially after the physical attack. Okay, it was a push, but pushes lead to punches, punches lead to beatings and beatings lead to murder and James would be damned if he succumbed to domestic violence.

Without saying a word to Thomas-usual over the past few days-James picked up his backpack, left the apartment and carried on walking until he was well on campus. He walked over to the student shop and picked out a bottle of Coke before paying it, not saying so much as one word to the cashier. From there, he walked out and opened his backpack, pulling out a box of Xanax pills. He pushed two from the blister pack and put them in his mouth, throwing them back with a gulp of Coke. He couldn't deal with such a high stress situation for much longer. And he had to talk to someone about it. 

After closing his backpack up, James took his iPhone from his pocket and went into his contacts, scrolling until he found the one he wanted.

He took a breath. "Hey." He said, trying to sound positive and happy. 

" _Shouldn't you be in a lecture_?" The voice on the other end asked.

"Not right now, it's free period." James replied. 

" _You'd better not be lying_."

"I'm not lying."

" _It's good to hear from you, Jemmy, why haven't you been returning my emails_?"

"Dad, I only got back to college like two weeks ago."

" _Parents worry about their kids, you know_." James Madison Sr said. " _You'll find that out for yourself when you and Thomas have your own kids_."

"Dad-"

" _How would that work then? Are you going to adopt? Get a surrogate?_ "

"Dad!" James said louder.

" _Oh of course, you have to finish your studies first_!" James Sr chuckled. " _You're only nineteen after all. Can't be worrying about having children at nineteen_."

"Dad, shut up please." James groaned. 

" _Oh, I'm sorry, Jemmy, go right ahead_."

James opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. 

" _Jemmy? Is something wrong?_ "

"Thomas pushed me." 

" _Oh_." All the joy vanished from James Sr's voice. " _I see_."

"The environment in our apartment's turned toxic." James said. "Dad, I don't know what to do."

" _Jemmy..._ " James Sr let out an audible sigh. " _If you're not happy with Thomas, you should leave him_."

"But I still love him." James argued. "He's not usually like this. He's never done anything like this before, he-"

" _Things like this lead to spousal abuse. And the fact that you're making excuses-Jemmy, come home for a while._ "

"Dad, I know you worry about my health, but-"

" _Damn right I worry about your health, you've nearly died several times_!"

"I know, I-"

" _You know I worry about getting a phone call saying that you died because you had a seizure in the night?_ "

"I'm not going to die."

" _Jemmy. James. Please be careful_." James Sr said. " _Especially if Thomas is hitting you_."

"Thomas isn't hitting me." James said. "He pushed me."

" _Same difference._ " James Sr said. " _If you're not leaving Thomas, then I want you to do three things for me._ "

"Uh... Sure." James frowned slightly.

" _I want you to text me or your mother in the morning. Then I want you to text me or your mother after every lecture. And before you go to bed, you call one of us. It doesn't matter if you think we'll be asleep. You call one of us. You hear me?_ "

"Loud and clear." James groaned slightly. "But what if I go to bed at five in the morning?"

" _You won't._ "

"How do you know that? I'm nineteen. I'm an adult."

" _Jemmy... You play chess and you read Latin for fun_." James Sr said with a slight chuckle. " _You aren't really the type of person who likes to go out partying all night._ "

"Maybe I am." 

" _You're not._ " 

"Why should I text you? Why don't you just track my phone?"

" _Because we want to know you're safe and that Thomas isn't hurting you_."

"Dad." James whined. "I'm _nineteen_."

" _But we all know how fragile you are_."

"I'm not fragile."

" _Jemmy. You've nearly died several times. You're anxious about your health, you've been depressed since Joseph Ross, you have epilepsy and you weigh a hundred pounds_."

"Well... Yeah. But I'm not fragile." James protested.

" _Accept that your mother and I worry about you-_ "

"Even though you have _nine_ other kids."

" _And we only want what's best for you. Yes we have nine other kids. And we don't want any of you to die_."

"Not since my stillborn brothers, I know, I know." James' shoulders fell. 

There was only the sound of James Madison Sr breathing on the other end of the phone for at least a minute, but to James Madison Jr, it felt like hours. " _Promise me you'll text me_."

"Dad-"

" _James, promise me_." He said sternly. 

"Okay, Dad. I promise." 

" _That's all I want. That's all your mother wants_." 

"You haven't-Mom doesn't know."

" _Not yet she doesn't. But she'll be calling you_."

"Dad."

" _It's only because we care, Jemmy_."

"Please stop calling me that."

" _What_?"

"Jemmy. I don't like it." 

" _You used to love it when you were younger._ "

"But Dad, I'm nineteen now."

" _So you keep pointing out._ " James Sr groaned. " _You're still our son. Our son who was born prematurely. When I look at you and see your small stature and I see that you're just skin and bone, I'm reminded of that little two pound baby lying in that incubator in the intensive care unit. Not knowing if you'd live or survive._ " James Sr's voice quivered slightly in a way that made James Jr question whether his father was crying or not.

"But I did." James said. "I'm nineteen now. I didn't call to talk about my health. I called to ask advice."

" _Advice for what?_ "

"What to do about Thomas."

" _I suggested you should leave him but you didn't want to so I said you should call me and your mother to make sure we know you're safe_."

"Great talk, Dad." 

" _Jemmy..."_ James Sr inhaled sharply. " _I love you, son_."

"I know." James said. 

" _Be safe, please._ "

"I will." 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came around after I read through the rest of the verse and realised I hadn't focussed a lot on James Madison. So here's some of his backstory.  
> In his childhood, James Madison was called 'Jemmy'. And again by his wife, Dolley. Who he was introduced to by Aaron Burr. In this verse, Aaron Burr knew Dolley first, so that's following history too.  
> James Madison was totally James Madison Jr. At least until 1801. That was when his father, James Madison Sr, died at the ripe old age of 81. His mother, Nelly Conway, died when she was 97.  
> Though James Madison Sr was a backwards slave owner (when he died, disgustingly, he owned 108 of them), here, he's more progressive and doesn't bat an eyelid that his oldest son is in a same-sex relationship. All he wants is for James Jr is for him to be happy and healthy and if another man makes him happy, then so be it.  
> James Madison historically really did play chess and read Latin for fun.  
> Joseph Ross was a real person. He was James Madison's best friend and roommate at Princeton. He died suddenly which left poor li'l Jemmy in a deep depression, which persisted his whole life.  
> James Madison really was anxious about his health. He was-quote/unquote-a hypochondriac. Then again, he was told his entire life that he was 'fragile' and 'frail', so that might have had something to do with it.  
> He also may or may not have had epilepsy. I'm going with that he did here, but he might not have.  
> He also really did weigh 100lbs. He was between 5'4" and 5'6". I'm going with 5'5".  
> James Madison Sr and Nelly Conway actually had 12 children. 2 boys were stillborn. 3 more died in infancy. 7 made it to adulthood, including li'l Jemmy. Of all their kids, li'l Jemmy made it the longest at 85. William Madison, who was an army general, lived the second longest-he lived until he was 81.  
> Historically, James Madison wasn't premature, but his parents were told that he probably wouldn't survive infancy... And live another 84 years. That was just dramatic licensing, a reason for li'l Jemmy to be the way he is-sickly, small and underweight with his parents constantly worried about everything.  
> It's still not too late to participate in the competition! Again, the best suggestion for Ned Stevens' Internet handle wins the following:  
> -Their suggestion being used in the story  
> -Internet points  
> -A small donation to Syrian refugees!  
> Two runners up will receive a shout out for their fic.  
> Any/everyone else will receive a shout out in my notes.  
> Good News!  
> The deadline has been extended because of confusion! Last call will be Aaron Burr's (and Charles Lee's) birthday, which will be Monday. The competition will close at midnight Wednesday morning UTC. Judging will commence on Thursday and finally, the winner will be announced next Friday.  
> Good Luck!


	3. To Killing the Mood

"Guys! It's almost kickoff!" Hercules shouted to everyone in the apartment. Everyone gathered around the couch as he turned the TV on. 

"Anyone know who that is singing the anthem?" Sally asked. 

"Luke Bryan." Eliza replied. 

"How'd you know that?" Sally asked.

"Google." Eliza shrugged. "I googled it beforehand."

"Cool." Hercules nodded.

"There's the flyover!" John shouted. "There's like five minutes left, right?"

"Probably."

"Get your bets in now!" Peggy announced. "Patriots or Falcons!"

"I'm going with Patriots." John said.

"Patriots." Angelica agreed. 

"Pats." Sally said

"Patriots." Hercules said.

"I'll take the Falcons." Eliza said.

"Yeah. Me too." Ned agreed.

"There's Bush Sr going to do the coin toss." Peggy said. 

"Heads-Pats. Tails-Falcons." Sally said. "And it's... Tails." 

"Wow. Houston's deferred." John blinked. "Pats receive."

"Unprecedented.  Eliza said. "But what do I know, I'm only here for Lady GaGa."

"Guys!" Hercules shouted. "It's starting!"

"Three... Two... One... Kickoff!" John hollered. "Matt Bosher!"

"Pats first and ten!" Peggy announced. "No more bets!"

"Brady! Brady! Brady!" John cheered.

"Edelman drop!" Eliza said. "Is that good or bad?"

"Good for  _you_. You took the Falcons." Hercules scoffed.

"Come on, Brady! Get the down!" John screamed at the TV.

"Not happening." Sally said. "They gotta punt."

"They're punting." Angelica said, rather loudly.

"Flag!" John shouted.

"Against who?" Ned asked.

"Atlanta." Peggy replied.

"Matt Ryan's trying to calm the crowd, I think." Sally said.

"Douche." John rolled his eyes.

"Wow. Freeman to the forty seven." Peggy chuckled.

"Pats are gonna lose." Angelica said.

"Hey, this is the Pats!" John scoffed. "They're probably gonna win."

"Aren't you from South Carolina?" Eliza asked.

"Yeah." John answered.

"So shouldn't you support the Falcons?" Eliza pointed out. "Since it's geographically closer."

"Actually, I support the Giants, but whatever." John shrugged.

"Sack!" Angelica shouted! "Flowers!"

"Damn. That should have counted." Hercules grunted.

"Yeah, but Ryan's knee was down." Angelica pointed out.

"They're punting. Bosher." Sally said.

"Wow. This is tense." Hercules said.

Everyone began to pick at the snacks until the game came back on the TV.

"Brady's conferring." Sally said.

"They're gonna be first and ten." Angelica said.

"Edelman out of bounds." Hercules said.

"Should have been a flag! Edelman was hit on the sidelines!" John shouted.

"Shh, John!" Eliza tugged on his sleeve.

"Brady to Amendola!" John shouted. "Complete!"

"Whoop!" Hercules cheered.

"Wow! God yes! Brady complete to Hogan!" John jumped up and down and cheered. 

"John! Shut up!" Hercules hissed.

"No!" John stood up. "Blount's running!" 

"Two yards." Hercules rolled his eyes. "Weak."

"Go Pats!" John cheered.

"Brady to Mitchell!" Sally shouted.

"Third and One now." Angelica said.

"Boo!" John called out.

"Belichick looks worried." Eliza said.

"Nah, that's his usual look." Sally shook her head.

"First down New England!" John shouted.

"Brady sacked!" Hercules shouted.

"Damnit!" John cursed.

"John, you didn't bet that Brady wouldn't be sacked." Peggy shrugged casually.

"I know. I was just hoping he wouldn't be." John said.

"He's a  _guy_. Not a  _god_." Angelica rolled her eyes.

"Dropped by White." Sally said.

"They won't score." Hercules said.

"I hope Atlanta doesn't either." John said.

"Third and nineteen now." Sally sighed.

"Eep." John vocalised.

"Is that bad?" Ned asked.

John sighed. "Yeah." He nodded.

"Sacked again." Angelica said.

"Fuck." Hercules said.

"Yeah." John sat back down on the couch in defeat.

"Allen punt. No return." Angelica said.

"Falcons are winning." Eliza said. "Right?"

"Yep. First down Atlanta." Hercules said.

"This sucks." John folded his arms, like a sulking child.

"Nobody asked your opinion, John." Sally said.

"Second down Atlanta." Sally said.

"I don't know what that means." Ned said.

"They just didn't cover ten yards." Angelica said.

"Third and three now." Peggy said.

"Let's hope they don't get that three yards." John snapped.

"John!" Eliza hissed. "I mean it." 

"Yes! Trip! Sack! Not getting the first!" John cheered.

"Shut up!" Sally said.

"Bosher punting again." Angelica said.

"Edelman gets it at the eighteen." Peggy reached for the chips and dip. "Genuinely surprised that nobody's scored yet." 

"I know, right?" Sally said. "Oh, Brady just threw to Edelman."

"And it was caught for thirteen yards." Hercules said.

"Is that good?" Ned asked. 

"Yes." John replied. "Blount runs. Seven yards." 

"Less than a minute left of the first quarter now." Peggy said.

"Blount runs for a  _yard_." John sneered. "Throw the ball!"

"End of first quarter." Angelica announced.

* * *

"Brady should throw." John said.

"He did!" Angelica shouted. "To Edelman for a completion!"

"Fumble!" Hercules stood up. "Fumble!"

Peggy followed suit. "Flag!" She screeched. "Atlanta ball!" 

"Belichick doesn't look happy." Angelica said.

"Yeah. Atlanta ball." Sally said.

"Joder." John groaned.

"What?" Ned asked.

"Fuck in Spanish." John said. "I'm Puerto Rican."

"First down Atlanta. Catch by Julio Jones." Peggy said.

"I don't want to watch this any more." John stood up.

Eliza stood up after him. Come on, John, just because-" 

"They're at the twenty nine yard line now." Hercules said.

Eliza tried again. "Please just-"

"Fifteen yard line now." Hercules announced.

Eliza turned to Hercules. "Hercules shut up!" 

"What, they're gonna score!" Hercules said innocently. "Flag!"

"Nope! Timeout Pats!" Sally clarified.

"Oh yeah. Belichick ain't happy." Peggy said.

"Freeman touchdown." Hercules said.

"And  _that_  is the defining play of the Super Bowl." Sally said. 

"Brady isn't getting that fifth ring." Peggy said.

John stormed out of Hercules and Sally's apartment. 

"I... I don't think he's coming back." Eliza said.

"Bosher kicks. Caught by Lewis for a touchback." Angelica sighed.

"What's that?" Ned asked.

"Twenty five yard line. In their end." Hercules said.

"Brady threw and Mitchell couldn't catch." Peggy said.

"Shit." Hercules huffed.

"Peggy, is it too late to change my bet?" Sally asked.

"Yeah. It is." Peggy said. "Looks like the newbies will be winning."

"Wonder if Aaron's enjoying the game with Theodosia." Eliza asked.

"New England to punt." Peggy said.

"Atlanta are gonna win. As far as I'm concerned, the game's over." Angelica said. "But I wanna stay for Lady GaGa."

"You'd think John would too." Ned said.

"Why?" Hercules asked.

"He's gay." Ned shrugged.

"Not all gay people like Lady GaGa." Hercules said.

"The Pats are  _so_  fucked without Gronk." Angelica shook her head.

"That is... That is true. So true." Peggy said.

"Twenty yard line." Hercules said.

"The Pats are looking like the Broncos two years ago." Sally said.

"They're looking like the Cleveland Browns." Peggy said.

"No way! They're looking like the Jacksonville Jaguars." Angelica said.

"Yes! Patrick Chung prevents a touchdown!" Hercules said.

"Belichick looks happy. Ish." Peggy shrugged. "Well, not now. Touchdown Atlanta."

"Yeah. Fourteen nothing against New England?  _Totally_  looking like the Jags." Sally rolled her eyes,

"Belichick is ranting on the sidelines there." Angelica chuckled. "He's probably swearing." 

"I would  _love_  to hear what he's saying." Peggy smirked.

"Belichick will probably swear and scream at his players at halftime and not allow them to watch Lady GaGa." Sally said.

"Probably." Hercules agreed. "I don't think they'll win." 

"They're playing worse here than they ever have in my lifetime." Peggy said.

"The players should be forced to listen to My Shot from the Mercy musical." Eliza suggested.

"What if Atlanta is though?" Ned asked.

"Ooh yeah." Eliza frowned.

"Touchback. Pats at the twenty five yard line." Angelica said.

"Completion to Bennett. First down New England." Hercules said.

"Pass incomplete to Edelman. Brady's not playing like  _the_  GOAT. He's playing like  _a_  goat." Peggy rolled her eyes. "He doesn't look happy either."

"He  _knows_  he's gonna lose the game. Or that Belichick's gonna stick his testes in a vice." Angelica said.

"Or both." Peggy said. "Third and ten now."

"Completion to White." Hercules said.

"Flag!" Sally called out.

"Shit!" Peggy cussed out.

"Penalty against Atlanta!" Angelica screeched in shock.

"Wow! I'm amazed! Genuinely amazed what with how Goodell hates the Pats and all." Peggy said.

"Defensive holding! First down New England." Angelica chuckled.

"They did good without Gronk to get this far." Sally said. "But they  _do_  need him in this game."

"Hmm. Yeah. Too bad he's hurt." Peggy said. "Oop. Third and three now."

"Oh god. I got a feeling there'll be an interception." Angelica said.

"No!" Hercules shouted, bringing his hands in front of his eyes. "Just out of time!"

"Flag!" Sally shouted.

"Against?" Hercules opened his fingers cautiously.

"Atlanta. Automatic first down to New England." Sally said.

"Holy crap! The refs are being  _sort of_  fair to the Pats!" Hercules waved his fists in the air as a sort of celebration.

"Alpha?" Ned asked. "What does that mean?"

"One of Brady's call signals." Angelica said. "Famously, Peyton Manning's was 'Omaha'."

"Second and nine Pats now." Hercules said.

"Dropped." Peggy grunted.

"Belichick's little disappointed head shake. Ha. Love it." Eliza chuckled.

"Gronk looks worried." Hercules said.

"He looks more like he wants to be in the game." Sally pointed at the screen. "Look at him, he's itching to be in the game!"

"Brady threw to nowhere!" Eliza gestured at the screen.

"Flag! Again!" Hercules' voice went up an octave. "Flag to Atlanta!"

"Same guy too!" Sally laughed. "You'd think he'd learn, but evidently not."

"First down New England. Again." Peggy said.

"Blount runs. Not effective." Angelica said.

"Brady to Bennett. First down." Hercules nodded confidently.

"That's good." Ned said, albeit not confidently.

"You betted on Atlanta." Peggy whispered to him.

"Oh yeah." Ned nodded.

"Second and seven." Peggy said.

"Did that guy just strangle that dude?" Eliza asked, looking taken aback.

"Looks like it." Sally said. "And... Slo-mo says yes."

"Interception. Told you." Angelica said triumphantly. She sat down when she saw the result though. "Touchdown. Yikes." She shook her head. 

"This... Game... Is... Over." Hercules said. 

"Brady's doing his reflective sitting thing." Peggy said. "The rest of the Pats are panicking." 

"Brady's ageing finally caught up with him." Hercules said. "Either that or they left the balls inflated this time."

"Second down New England now." Angelica said.

"Two minute warning." Peggy said as she checked her watch.

"What's that?" Eliza asked. 

"Two minutes until halftime." Peggy explained.

"Pick sixed in the Super Bowl. I still can't believe it." Hercules shook his head.

"Look on the bright side. Bennett caught the ball this time." Angelica shrugged.

"A Falcon's hurt!" Peggy shouted.

"Oh god." Eliza lowered her head.

"Nah, they're fine." Peggy waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh good." Eliza raised her head. "Largest deficit in seven Super Bowls." She read from the screen.

"Wow.  _Seven_ Super Bowlgames." Sally blinked.

"Yeah. Seven." Hercules scoffed. "Actually, they deserve to lose."

"They're the Yankees of American football!" Ned scoffed.

"Massive overshoot of Edelman there." Peggy groaned. "How could he do that?!" Fucking idiot." 

"Well, like I said earlier, he's a man, not a god." Angelica said.

"White in the thirty yard line!" Peggy said. "A minute left, roughly."

"Interception?" Sally asked.

"No, Hogan for eight yards." Peggy said.

"They won't score." Angelica said.

"Nope." Hercules shook his head. "Thirty seconds left. He won't do it, no matter how Tom Brady Tom Brady is."

"Tom Brady is allegorical for America under Trump." Peggy said.

"Tom Brady's actually buddies with Trump." Eliza pointed out.

"This game and his poor playing is karma then." Angelica said.

"Timeout New England." Sally said.

"Back in play now and an incomplete to Edelman." Hercules said.

"They're playing like they don't want to win." Ned said. "I may not know what's happening, but I know  _that_  much."

"Completion to White!" Sally stood up in excitement.

"Time out New England with three seconds left." Peggy said.

"Fuck, they're not gonna do anything with that." Hercules scoffed. "Game's over. After Lady GaGa, go home."

"They're actually making a kick!" Sally said. "Gostkowski got the Pats on the board! Three points to New England!" 

"Two seconds left on the clock?" Angelica frowned.

"Took a second to make a  _forty one_  yard kick?" Eliza asked.

"Just Jesus... Go to the locker room!" Hercules shouted at the screen.

"Brady and Edelman look pissed." Ned said.

"They look funny there. Edelman on Brady's left side." Eliza smiled. "Eleven and Twelve."

"Wow. Brady has someone to squirt water in his mouth." Peggy chuckled. "Lazy fucker."

"Yeah, we know there's nothing wrong with his arms. He's the quarterback!" Ned snapped.

"That's it!" Hercules announced "Halftime!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written in real time. It's a documentation of what happened in the first half of Super Bowl 51.  
> If you wonder what my allegiances lie, I'm not telling.
> 
> It's still not too late to participate in the competition! Again, the best suggestion for Ned Stevens' Internet handle wins the following:  
> -Their suggestion being used in the story  
> -Internet points  
> -A small donation to Syrian refugees!  
> Two runners up will receive a shout out for their fic.  
> Any/everyone else will receive a shout out in my notes.  
> Good News!  
> The deadline has been extended yet again! Last call will be Tuesday, because I'm actually away tomorrow. The competition will close at midnight Thursday morning UTC. Judging will commence that day and finally, the winner will be announced on Friday.  
> Good Luck!


	4. Alabanza

**_hunkules_** : Happy birthday Burr!  
 _ **wait4it**_ : you know who elses birthday it is today?   
_**hunkules**_ : no, who?  
_**wait4it**_ : it's Charles Lee's.  
_**elizaluvspuppies**_ : eew.

* * *

"Hell of a game last night." Hercules said. He was in Aaron's doorway.

"Oh yeah. Aaron and I were at the student bar. I still can't believe the Pats dominated after that horrid first half they had." Theo said. "I mean, that final score looked like they'd had no trouble at all."

"I guess we learned last night why they call Brady the GOAT." Sally said.

"They were probably told by Goodell to let the Falcons get a massive head start and so they spent the entire first half doing that-I mean Brady throwing the ball to nowhere?" Theo scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Please. And so they decided to do their Patriot-y thing in the second half of the game. And then it went into overtime for literally the first time ever. And then they won. Just because Goodell wanted to make it interesting or let the Falcons have a chance at winning. Or both."

"When you say 'Patriot-y thing', you mean spying and deflating footballs, right?" Hercules chuckled.

"Oh come on, Mulligan. Spying? What is this? Communist Russia?" Theo cackled. "Alright, come on in, guys. Come on in."

"I'm just saying, that game is Brady's legacy. Not his five rings. Which nobody else has either." Sally said as she walked into the dorm with Hercules. 

"Good thing Alex isn't here to hear you talking about that." Eliza said. She was already in the dorm.

"The Patriots?" Sally asked. 

"Legacy!" Everyone else-bar Theo-corrected in unison.

"He's obsessed with his legacy." Eliza said. "How people perceive him now and in the future. Part of me even thinks that's what made him leave."

"You're not wrong, Eliza." Hercules said. "I'm ninety nine percent certain that Alex balked. He left because he was scared of his old friend from the Caribbean seeing him in a wheelchair."

"Barbara Gordon gets on just fine in a wheelchair." Theo said. "Well, before she got rebooted, that is."

"Then we just need to get him a load of comics with Oracle in them." Eliza shrugged.

They carried on talking, mostly about Batman and the Batfam, until other guests started arriving. And arrive they did. Everyone from William Van Ness to Maria Lewis and Angelica Schuyler. 

Finally, Aaron arrived. And he made a very strange entrance.

"...  _In conics I can floor peculiarities parabolous_

_I can tell undoubted Raphaels from Gerard Dows and Zoffanies_

_I know the croaking chorus from the Frogs of Aristophanes_

_Then I can hum a fugue of which I've heard the music's din afore_

_And whistle all the airs from that infernal non... Sense_..." He stopped and looked around when he realized he wasn't alone. 

"Pinafore?" Theo offered. 

"Yeah." Aaron nodded. "Pinafore."

"Pinafore?" Hercules questioned.

"HMS Pinafore." Aaron replied. "It's another Gilbert and Sullivan musical."

"Another?" Hercules raised an eyebrow.

"Well... Yeah." Aaron shrugged. "I was just singing I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General from Pirates of Penzance. Written by Gilbert and Sullivan."

"Pre HMS Pinafore, I should add." Theo interjected. 

"Alex's clone would know all about that. He's a musical writer."

"Playwright, Maria." Angelica said. "I think the term's still playwright."

"Isn't that the song that's like-" John cleared his throat. " _I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General, _

_I Just Can't Wait to be King, Do Re Mi, Tomorrow, Atencion,_

_Light My Candle, A Whole New World, Hasa Diga Ebowai,_

_Somewhere that's Green, I Dreamed a Dream, Mix Tape, Defying Gravity,_

_Do Your Own Thing, Shipoopi, Nothing, Forget About the Boy,_

_Something's Coming, Old Man River, Tradition, Belle, Seize the Day,_

_Anything You Can Do, I'm Not that Smart, The Movie in My Mind_..." John stopped abruptly and frowned in thought. "Ah! _Reviewing the Situation, Your Fault, Sweet Transvestite_!

_Springtime for Hitler, New York New York, Wouldn't it be Luverly_ -"

"That's enough of that, John." Eliza said, loudly. "So Aaron, why were you singing the Major General song?"

"Because I was thinking of trying out for the college's production of Pirates of Penzance." Aaron replied.

"They're putting on _Pirates of Penzance_?" John said incredulously. 

"Yes." Aaron nodded. 

It was at that point that John burst out laughing. "Come on, man, that musical must be like... Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred _years_ old!"

"It's nearly a hundred and forty years old." Aaron replied. 

"I know, it was a Rent reference." John rolled his eyes.

"Well, well, well." Everyone turned to the doorway. "A birthday party. And I wasn't invited." 

"You know very well why you weren't invited." Hercules said icily. "Charles Lee."

"Get out before I call Washington." John said.

"Nice try." Seabury said. "But we all know Washington's in Virginia."

"Yeah, but John Adams isn't." Martha pointed out. 

"John Adams is useless." Lee scoffed.

"And you're a little shitstain." Hercules said. "Get out. Before I walk over to you and you inevitably piss your pants."

"No." Lee said. "It's _my_ birthday too."

"Get out, Lee." Peggy narrowed her eyes.

"What's a little girl like _you_ gonna do about it?" Lee said mockingly. "How old are you anyway? Six? Seven?"

"I'm eighteen. But I'm old for my age." Peggy rolled up her sleeves. 

"Violence isn't the answer, Peggy." Eliza said, grabbing Peggy by her arm.

"Who said I was violent?" Peggy shrugged. "I'm just trying to intimidate them."

"Hail hail, the gang's all here!" Jefferson pushed past Lee and Seabury, sensing the tension almost immediately. "What'd I miss?"

"Seaburlee were just leaving." Theo said. 

"Leebury is better." Peggy said. 

Jefferson stomped his foot on the ground. Seabury flinched. 

"It doesn't take much to scare them." John said. "Hey! You two still fucking each other?"

"No need to be so crude, Jonathan Laurens." Seabury said. 

"Ha!" John punched the air triumphantly. "My name is _just_ John! It's not short for anything!" He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and looked at the unknown number. He tapped on reject and pocketed his phone again. 

"Also, Seabury, there's no need to be such a prude-" John was interrupted again by his phone. Again by the unknown number and again rejecting it. "Because-" Again the phone vibrated, but this time it was in his hand. He tapped on accept and held the phone to his ear. "What?!" He snapped. 

" _Uh... Jacky_?" The voice on the other end said. " _It's your father._ "

John swallowed hard. "Where have you been for the past four years? Oh yeah, that's right-you hate me because I'm gay." 

" _Jacky, I don't hate you. I love you_."

"Funny way to show it." John narrowed his eyes.

" _I hate that the devil has a hold on you and is making you think you're a homo_."

"Oh here we go." John rolled his eyes. "If you're just calling me up to shit on my 'lifestyle choices'," he said mockingly. "Then you can delete my number and go take a very long walk on a very short pier."

" _Jack, James died_."

"And another thing-what?" John slipped into a neutral stance. "How?"

" _Cancer_."

"My little brother had _cancer_ and you didn't tell me?!" John snapped. He scoffed as he removed the phone from his ear, now shouting into the receiver. "You're a terrible person-you're the worst person I've ever had the misfortune  of meeting and I'm standing in a room with Samuel Seabury and Charles Lee-hell, even the guy who tried to assassinate my boyfriend is a better man than you!" He spat out angrily.

Everyone else looked on awkwardly or turned away, trying to ignore John's impassioned ranting. 

" _Jack_ -"

"Don't you _dare_ 'Jack' me! I'm John! Proud John Laurens-well, not Laurens. But I'm John and proud! You know what, I think I might change my last name to Schuyler! Since Philip Schuyler has done a better job with me than you ever did, you hopeless, useless piece  of shit!"

" _Okay, John_ -"

"You dare call me up on this number again and I will personally-"

"John." Eliza hissed. "Inside voice."

"Hurt you." John lowered his voice significantly.

" _Are you going to your brother's funeral_?"

"Yes." John said. "But you can stay the hell away from me."

" _It's going to be next week_."

"Specific date." John said through gritted teeth.

" _Thirteenth_."

John hung up and tossed the phone to one side.

"John, I'm so sorry." Hercules put his hand on his friend's shoulder. 

"How old was your brother?" Theo asked.

"He was ten." John said. "Ten years old." He sighed. "I'm sorry I spoiled your birthday, Aaron."

"It's... It can't be helped." Aaron said. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"So am I." John said. "So am I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! Drama, drama, drama!  
> I think I'll start with the biggest drama-The Patriots coming from behind in the second half of the third quarter to win the game-who could have seen that coming? Certainly not me because I went to bed thinking that the game was over (also, it was like 1am for me). Imagine what happened when I woke up at 5am and checked my emails to see that the Patriots won. Wow.  
> Anyway, Yes, Charles Lee and Aaron Burr share the same birthday.  
> Those are actual lyrics from I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General that Aaron is singing. They're from the second verse.  
> Pirates of Penzance opened in the US before the UK (and is the only Gilbert and Sullivan musical to do so) because piracy existed long before people illegally streamed movies online. Yeah, they illegally took copies of the score and libretto of HMS Pinafore to put on their own American productions long before the official production came.  
> Also, John's made up version with song titles can be sang to the tune of I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General. The titles are from various songs from various Broadway musicals over the years. Can you guess them all?  
> Seabury is a prude because in real life, he was a bishop.  
> Also, John Laurens really did have a brother called James who died when he was ten. He didn't die of Cancer though. I'm not really sure what he died of. But what a way to end the chapter right? More drama?  
> And I just noticed in three of the four chapters, characters have talks with their dads. This is unintentional. Completely unintentional.
> 
> Finally, it's the last call to participate in the competition! Again, the best suggestion for Ned Stevens' Internet handle wins the following:  
> -Their suggestion being used in the story  
> -Internet points  
> -A small donation to Syrian refugees!  
> Two runners up will receive a shout out for their fic.  
> Any/everyone else will receive a shout out in my notes.  
> The competition will close at midnight Thursday morning UTC. Judging will commence that day and finally, the winner will be announced on Friday.  
> Good Luck!


	5. You're Not Alone Tonight

Peggy sat in the bathroom, feeling her stomach. Nothing happened, although she was pregnant. She just wasn't far enough along. Lafayette was back from their family emergency and Peggy was trying to act happy. Time was running out. She needed to act. And she needed to do it now.

* * *

Hercules was at John's apartment, watching over him as he furiously packed clothes and other items into a backpack. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked. 

"I'm not okay." John said. "My little brother died."

"No, with your father." Hercules said. "Do you need anyone to come with you for support?"

"Herc..." John tossed a sweater aside. "I think I should just do it alone."

"But, John-"

"I'm twenty." John said. "I'm pretty sure I can go and see my homophobic father on my own."

"But you're not just seeing your father." Hercules argued. "You're going to see him after the death of your little brother. And you haven't seen him in-"

"Five years." 

"Five years, John!"

"I'll be fine, Hercules. This is something I just have to do on my own." John said. "Don't worry about me. I'll be back on the fifteenth."

* * *

Alex was watching Nexflix on his iPad when John burst into his room. 

"What's wrong now, John?" Alex asked. 

"Tensions are heating up between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un." John said. 

"What's up now?" 

"Kim Jong Un's threatening to test a nuclear missile." John replied. 

"And the sky is blue." Alex paused his show. "What else is new?"

"Well, the Great Dick-tator is threatening action."

"Oh." Alex blinked. "Well... That's not good."

"Should we... Get supplies?" John asked.

"Nah. They're not doing anything." Alex said. "They're just yapping at each other like annoying little dogs. That's all that'll happen. We won't get nuked John. That's a guarantee."

* * *

"John, are you okay?" Hercules asked. "Seriously, are you okay?"

"Um... Yeah. I just..." John inhaled deeply. "Do we know what's happening with Kim Jong Un?"

"Well, I believe that this is the time of year where they celebrate the second Dear Leader, Kim Jong Il, so probably that." Hercules replied. "Why?"

"Oh... No reason." John said. But he knew he'd have to get in touch with Alex as soon as possible. That can't go un-talked about. Or Un-talked about.

* * *

Peggy came out of the bathroom and her younger sister Cornelia glared at her. 

"About time you came out of the bathroom, Peggy, you've been in there forever!"

"I'm sorry, Cornelia, I was taking a shower."

"Why aren't you wet?" Cornelia folded her arms.

"Because I dried myself off." Peggy replied.

"Your hair should be wet."

"I used a shower cap."

"We don't have one."

"I brought my own."

"Let me see it."

"Cornelia," Peggy began, "can we just _not_ do this?" She backed away from the bathroom. 

"No, Peggy, you were in there ages!" Cornelia took steps towards Peggy. 

Peggy walked backwards away from her pushy little sister. Only seven and she was acting like she was her mother and Peggy had just come in from a late night with Lafayette. "Cornelia, please-"

Cornelia took a step forward, towards Peggy. Peggy took a step backwards and didn't realise where she was. She fell backwards, down the stairs. Stunned, Cornelia ran down after her. 

Angelica heard the screaming and rushed to her sister. Maria came rushing too. Both were surprised by what they found. 

"Oh my god, Peggy, are you okay?" Maria asked, kneeling down next to her.

Peggy was still conscious and nodded weakly. "'M fine." She was gasping for breath.

"Peggy, I think you've been winded." Angelica said. 

"What?" Peggy wheezed.

"One of the steps hit your stomach and you lost your breath." Angelica replied. "It's fine. I hope. Can you feel your legs? Can you feel this?"

Maria tapped Peggy on the knee with her knuckle. 

"Can." Peggy replied. 

"Okay. You're not paralysed." Angelica said. "Does anywhere hurt?"

"Arm." 

"Okay." Angelica said. "I was talking more your back or your neck..."

"'M fine." Peggy was close to tears. 

Maria turned to Cornelia. "What happened?"

"It was an accident!" She said. "I swear!"

"What happened?"

"PeggywasagesinthebathroomandshesaidshewasshoweringbutsheliedandIknowshewaslyingIthinkshewashavingapooandItoldhershewaslyingandshedidn'tlookwhereshewasgoingandshefelldownallthemstairs!" Cornelia spoke quickly and in a panicked pace.

"Say that once again, but slowly." Maria said. 

"Peggy took ages in the bathroom and she lied about showering and I told her she was lying and she fell down the stairs!" 

Angelica turned to her girlfriend. "Who stays with the kids?"

"What do you mean?" Maria asked. 

"Someone has to take Peggy to the hospital." Angelica said.

"Can't you just call an ambulance? Wouldn't that be better anyway since Peggy fell down the stairs?"

Angelica took her phone out and dialed 911. "Mom and Dad aren't going to be happy about this." She spoke into the receiver. "Can I have an ambulance please?"

* * *

Lafayette was in their room at the Washingtons' house. At their house. They heard the phone ringing, but on the second ring it stopped. Martha must have answered it. 

"Lafayette!" Came the sound of Martha's voice after a minute or so.

"Coming!" Lafayette navigated the obstacles of their room and rushed down the stairs to take the receiver from Martha. "Thanks." They said. "Bonjour, c'est Lafayette." 

"Laf! It's Maria."

"Ah! Bonjour, Madamoiselle Lewis. What can I do for you this evening?" Lafayette asked happily. They checked their watch. "It's a bit, how you say, late, isn't it?" 

"Well, it's Peggy."

"What about Peggy?" All the joviality evaporated from their voice. 

"There's been an accident."

"Is my Peggy okay?" Lafayette practically begged.

"She's... Probably fine." Maria said, putting the stress on 'probably'. "But we've called an ambulance-"

"What happened?" 

"She fell down the stairs trying to escape Cornelia." Maria let out a nervous laugh. "She can feel her legs, so don't worry about her ending up like Alex."

"I wasn't worried about it until you brought Alex up." Lafayette said. "Petit lion."

"Yes... Well... Angelica and Peggy will be at the hospital if you want to see them."

"What about you?"

"Someone has to stay and look after Senator Schuyler's kids."

"Where's Eliza?"

"Eliza's out playing her soccer match." Maria said. 

"Oh. Oui. I forgot about that."

"I gotta hang up now. The ambulance is here." The line went dead. 

Lafayette held the receiver out in their hand as they examined it. 

"What happened, Lafayette?"

"Peggy, she-she's been in an accident. She's going to hospital by ambulance. And she might end up like Alex." Lafayette spoke. They were, by now, visibly upset. "Paralyzed."

"I'm sure she won't be, Lafayette." George said, putting his hand down on the French teenager's shoulder. "I'm sure she'll be okay."

"Can you take me to the hospital?" Lafayette asked. Begged.

"Of course I will." George said. "Let's go."

* * *

In the ambulance, Angelia couldn't help but feel pain every time she looked at her beloved little sister. Peggy looked a mess. Her eyes were red from crying, she was still struggling to breathe and there was blood at the back of her head, having matted her hair. To top it all off, Peggy was unable to move, having been strapped down to a spinal board-to specifically prevent moving-and she had a neck brace on, so she couldn't even see Angelica. Which wasn't a bad thing.

The paramedics also had put a splint on Peggy's right arm, leaving Angelica to hold her sister's left hand. 

"Angelica, I'm scared." Peggy whispered.

"It'll be okay, Peggy." Angelica said. "Nobody's going to let you end up like Alex."

"I don't care if I'm paralyzed." Peggy said.

"Don't speak like that!" Angelica wiped her eye. "You'll be fine."

"Angelica..."

"Peggy?"

"I'm pregnant."

Angelica sat there, stunned to silence. 

"And the baby might not be Laf's." She added in the quietest voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What up?  
> So I'm having a scan on my lump on Valentine's Day. Yay. Sort of. Maybe I'll get some answers then. In the meantime, here are some notes!  
> The Great Dictator is a 1940 movie by Charlie Chaplin. It's one of my favorite films in early cinema and I highly recommend it. That is the movie John is referencing in the dystopian alternate timeline.  
> So John's seeing the horrific future that might be as well. What does this mean?  
> Will Peggy tell Lafayette, now that she's told Angelica? More importantly, will Peggy be alright?  
> Finally, the moment you've been waiting for-the competition results!  
> I liked all the suggestions, so it was hard to choose. Neddleinahaystack (by anonymous), Hamilton2.0 (by The-Confused-Fangirl-Yo), Ned-Not-Alex (by BriCat03) and Neddard_Stark (by Dezzy). I particularly liked StevensdotNed (by BriCat03), NeddyBear (by anonymous) and Neddy_Boi (by TheGirlWithUnicorns).   
> But there can only be one winner. And two runners up. They are the following:
> 
> Runner up 1: NevisNed by The-Confused-Fangirl-Yo  
> I really enjoyed the alliteration there.
> 
> Runner up 2: NeDankMemes by CurlyAndQuote  
> Honestly, it just made me smile.
> 
> And the winner is:  
> Nedical&Proud-Firestar  
> Because puns are always the best.
> 
> Congrats! Your suggestion will be used in the story and I will donate some money to Syrian refugees in your name. 
> 
> As for The-Confused-Fangirl-Yo and CurlyAndQuote, get in touch with your fic and I will read it and rec it. Simple as.
> 
> And everyone else, thanks for participating! I liked all your suggestions!  
> Congrats to all!


	6. Oh My God, Enough

Catherine Schuyler pretty much danced around her house as she the finishing touches on her Valentine's Day decorations. Philip was busy down in DC, which was why they had celebrated over the weekend. Of course, their day got spoiled when they had to go to the hospital to see that Peggy was okay. She was, of course, okay, despite the broken wrist, the seven stitches in the back of her head and feeling sore all over. 

The couples would be coming in soon. It was mostly their daughters' friends. The younger kids would be at their school's Valentines Day parties, so they had to do this one quickly. 

The doorbell rang and Catherine went to answer it. The Washingtons. 

"Hello, Catherine. I hope we aren't too early." George said. 

"No, you're... Early." Catherine said. "I could start the party now, it's not a problem."

"How's Peggy?" Martha asked. 

"She's... Sore. But otherwise fine." Catherine replied. "I think her pride's been injured the worst. Next to her wrist of course."

"Yes, Lafayette mentioned her arm was broken." George said.

"Her wrist." Catherine corrected. "And Angelica's been acting oddly since the accident-I think she blames herself."

"Oh, it's not Angelica's fault." Martha said. "Someday she'll come to realise that."

"I hope so." Catherine said. "I hope so. So would you like to come in?" She stepped aside.

* * *

Upstairs, Angelica was styling Peggy's hair.

"I don't understand. Why didn't you tell Laf?"

"What can Laf do about this?" Peggy asked, sounding quite defeated.

"Laf can... Laf can support you." Angelica said. 

"The baby might not be theirs." Peggy said.

"You might not be pregnant now anyway." Angelica commented, deliberately yanking Peggy's hair through her comb. "That was one heck of a tumble you took."

"Ow!" Peggy flinched and brought her hand to her head. "Be careful, Angelica!" 

"Who's baby even is it? If it's not Laf's."

"Uh... You don't want to know."

"Yes I do. That's why I asked."

"You don't."

"Peggy, I'm not playing this game." Angelica said sternly. "Just tell me who your possible baby daddy might be."

"Okay, fine. It's Stephen." Peggy whispered.

"Which Stephen?" Angelica demanded.

"Van Rensselaer." Peggy said in a quiet voice.

Angelica stayed quiet as realisation dawned on her. "No!" She whispered loudly. "Peggy, that's-"

"Not incest!" Peggy defended herself quickly. "Technically. We're adopted, remember? Stephen's white. We're black, Eliza's Chinese, JB's-"

"I know our ethnicities, Peggy." Angelica said. "I just don't understand why you'd cheat on Lafayette-who loves you very much-with our cousin Stephen and you're telling me this on Valentine's Day. Especially the Lafayette thing."

"Lafayette's French. They love everybody."

"Who? Lafayette or the French?"

"The French."

"Pretty sure they don't love the Islamic State people.

"I'm not Islamic State. I'm not even a Muslim. I'm Christian. Sort of."

"Forgive me for thinking that the bible didn't say thou shalt not commit adultery." 

"Laf and I aren't married."

"They're still a cuckold, Peggy."

"They're not!" Peggy said loudly. "They're not," she lowered her voice, "because we aren't married and it was a one time thing, okay?"

"The poor cuckolded French person."

"One time!" Peggy hissed. 

"You got pregnant and the baby might not be his!" Angelica hissed back. "Or Laf's." She took a step back from Peggy's hair, which was nicely styled, despite her frustrations. 

Angelica felt upset and angry. She didn't know what to do with the information her younger sister divulged to her the other day. Especially since Peggy made her promise not to tell anyone else. If William Van Ness got ahold of this information...

"What do you think?" Angelica asked, putting all those thoughts to one side. 

Peggy cocked her head slightly and turned her head to look closer at her hair. The way Angelica had styled it covered her stitches. "It's great, thanks, Angelica." She said in a quiet voice.

A knock on the door and Eliza entered happily without anyone saying she could. She was wearing a beautiful teal ball gown and she'd clearly curled and styled her own hair. She looked like she'd well prepared for this event. Except she was barefoot.

"Wow. Tension." She said almost immediately after entering. "I just wanted my heels." 

"The blue-" Angelica began.

"The blue." Eliza confirmed with a nod. "Why have you guys been arguing?"

"We haven't been arguing." Angelica said. "Peggy just shouted at me because I accidentally pulled her hair when I was styling it. I mean, I can see where I was wrong. She probably has her head all bruised and all."

"Yeah." Peggy nodded. "That's it."

"Okay, well... The party's started downstairs. Madison and Jefferson are here. So's Laf." Eliza said. "Good luck telling them apart though. They're dressed almost identically and Laf doesn't have their hair tied back."

"Oh good god." Angelica shook her head. 

"Yeah, I know." Eliza slipped her heels on, using the wall for balance. "It's awkward." 

"Anyway, you look nice, Eliza." Angelica said. 

"Thanks." Eliza smiled. "So do you, Angelica." 

Angelica was dressed in a pink corseted ball gown with matching heels. She scoffed. "I look like Princess Aurora."

"It's better than looking like Elsa." Eliza countered. 

"You should see Maria-she looks like Elena of Avalor." Angelica said.

"You mean if Elena of Avalor were black." Eliza said.

"Yeah. And you look nice too, Peggy. You don't look like a Princess. You just look like Peggy Schuyler." Eliza said.

"Uh... Thanks." Peggy said. She was wearing a simple yellow ball gown. The bandages wrapped around her right hand and wrist took some of the attention away from the dress. If only because Peggy knew that everyone would ask her what had happened to her arm.

"Well, if Peggy Schuyler was a princess." Eliza said. "Margarita Schuyler, Disney Princess."

"No Disney Princess has a nickname." Peggy said.

"That's not true." Eliza said. "They call Snow White 'Snow' and Princess Aurora goes by Briar Rose for most of the movie and don't forget Tiana-her friend Charlotte calls her Tia for... Pretty much the whole movie."

"I suppose..." Peggy sighed.

"You'd be a good Disney Princess, Peggy."

Angelica snorted. "Yeah. She would."

"I'm gonna go to the party now." Eliza said. "See you in a few minutes?"

"Yeah, see you in a few minutes." Peggy nodded. 

Angelica nodded in agreement. 

* * *

Eliza left the room to hear muffled shouting. She frowned and went down the stairs into the party. 

"Elizabeth Schuyler!" Hercules. "You look beautiful, girl!" By the sounds of it, he was drunk already. He was wearing a dark green tuxedo that matched Sally's strapless emerald green ball gown. She was also wearing evening gloves in the same color.

"But not as beautiful as me, right, Hercules?" Sally gently pushed him. 

"Yeah. That's right." Hercules said.

"You look good, Sally." Eliza said. 

"Thanks, Eliza." Sally smiled. 

"Eliza." 

She turned around to see Thomas Jefferson standing behind her, dressed in a bright purple tuxedo. White cravat. What looked like gold cuff links. And that was _definitely_ a cane and _not_ for the benefit of walking, rather for the benefit of looking fancy. At least she _thought_ it was Thomas Jefferson. It probably was. Not even Lafayette was _that_ flamboyant.

"Hey, Thomas." 

"You look nice."

"You look..." Eliza couldn't find a word to finish her sentence. "Huāngmiù." She finished.

"What does that-"

"It means 'great' in Chinese." It does not.

"Oh. Well thanks, Eliza." Jefferson said.

"Is James here?"

"James is about." 

"Don't you come onto my fiancée like that!" Hercules shouted, causing Eliza to turn around again.

"I wasn't, I swear-" James Madison. He was backing away from Hercules. 

"Hercules, calm down, I-"

"What's going on?" Angelica and Maria hurried into the room. 

"Madison, the shit, just hit on my fiancée!"

Sally grabbed Hercules' arm "He didn't, he _really_ didn't-" 

"Hercules, you're drunk, go home-"

"I'm not drunk!" Hercules roared. "I'm Irish! I'll tell you when I'm drunk!"

"Hercules, Angelica's right, you're drunk-" Sally began.

"I'm not drunk!"

"You're acting like a dick-" Maria said.

" _You're_ the dick!"

"And you!" Hercules poked his finger in Jefferson's chest. "Treating my beautiful fiancée like a slave! She deserved-deserves so much better than you!"

"Say whaaaaat?" Jefferson looked at Hercules with contempt. 

"Everyone just calm down!" George shouted. 

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at George Washington. 

"That's better." George said. "So much better. Mulligan, you _are_ drunk. I know you're old enough to drink, but you shouldn't be doing it any more tonight."

"I'm not drunk!" Hercules said, drunkenly. "I can take all these fellas, whatever." He stumbled back towards James and pushed him full force. Unfortunately, behind him was a window and James fell right through. 

"Holy crap!" Peggy brought her uninjured hand to her mouth.

Total chaos then broke out among the friends. Jefferson swung a punch towards Hercules, who missed the blow (Maria took it instead) and took the alcohol bowl and topped it over Aaron. Aaron-who was drunk himself-took a knife and swung it around threateningly. All the while George and Martha Washington were trying to calm the situation. 

Jefferson then lunged on Lafayette and began punching them for no apparent reason and as Lafayette tried to get up, Jefferson kicked them in the chest, winding them. Maria tried to pry Jefferson off, but ended up taking another one of his hits to the face-an elbow this time. 

Aaron, who was still wielding the knife, turned around and bumped into Angelica. Theo tried to reign in Aaron, but ended up knocking over Eliza, who landed hard on both her hand and her bum as James climbed up from outside.

Hercules was still worked up and although Martha, James and Peggy tried to stop him, he still managed to throw the hotel sized pot of hot chocolate on Jefferson's face. In revenge, Jefferson grabbed Hercules' hand and twisted his fingers with an almighty crunch. As Hercules shouted out in pain, Angelica looked down to her abdomen. There was a slice in her dress and as well in her skin that blood was escaping through, wetting her nice taffeta ball gown.

"Guys!" She shouted. "I'm bleeding!"

"Guys!" Peggy shouted, seeing her chance. "I'm pregnant!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!  
> So I had a scan today. All evidence points to Glandular Fever, but I haven't been diagnosed with anything just yet.  
> Onto the notes!  
> You can choose the rest of the Schuyler siblings' ethnicities. Whatever you want to imagine them as, they are.  
> Seeing as a cuckold is a married man who's wife is having an affair, Lafayette is most certainly not one of these.  
> Everyone's clothes are pretty much inspired by their counterparts in the musical. Except Sally. I chose emerald green for her because that's the color of the hoodie I'm wearing.  
> Maria 'looks like Elena of Avalor' because they were both wearing red dresses.  
> Peggy doesn't have a cast because her wrist is too swollen for that. She has a splint and bandages to hold it in place.  
> Hercules Mulligan was Irish, as I've pointed out before, and the Irish are known for their drinking. That's why he made the Irish comment.  
> Huāngmiù means ridiculous in Chinese. I didn't Google Translate, I asked a Chinese classmate of mine. I figured if Eliza was Chinese, even if she was adopted, she'd at least know a bit of Mandarin.  
> When Hercules said 'treating (Sally) like a slave', then 'she deserved' and then 'so much better than you' it's my opinion spilling out there. Sally Hemings deserved so much better than Thomas Jefferson.  
> Also 'I can take all these fellas, whatever' is a line of Usnavi's from In the Heights.  
> And the fighting is loosely based on The Club from In the Heights.  
> Lastly, if you don't mind terrible sex in terrible fanfics, then check out my companion fic to this series. It will be called 'No Pare, Sigue Sigue' and it was 'written by' Alexander Hamilton. It's deliberately badly written for comedy. And it will go up a bit later. If this gets a good enough reception, the next one next one will be 'written by' John Laurens. If not, then the story will be read aloud in another chapter.


	7. Tell Me Something I Don't Know

"Hello, I'm Professor Adams-"

"And I'm also Professor Adams."

"We're here to talk to you about Valentine's Day."

"Or rather what _happened_ on Valentine's Day."

The students stared at John and Abigail Adams talking. Nathaniel Pendleton and William Van Ness were sitting by each other, listening as the professors talked. 

"Did you see Alexander Hamilton's [fan fiction](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9564995)?" William asked. 

"No, why? Is it bad?" Nathaniel asked.

"Insanely." William replied. "Think My Immortal and multiply that by ten."

"How do you know it was him?"

"Who else would write about their clone in that way?" William scoffed. "There's some aggressive sexual tension there. Maybe a bit of narcissism."

"What do you mean?" Nathaniel frowned. 

"I'm saying that Alex wants to fuck Lin-Manuel Miranda." William said. "And by extension, himself."

"Yeah, okay, Sigmund Freud." Nathaniel rolled his eyes.

"I mean it." William lifted his phone and whisper read from the story that was on his phone. " _Chris couldn't help but stare at Lin's penis. He licked his lips in anticipation_." He scrolled down. " _Lin sat on the floor with his penis all exposed, while Chris lunged on him like a rabid cougar_." He looked up at Nathaniel, his face serious. "And my personal favorite line," William looked back down at his phone. " _Lin nodded and Chris moved down to Lin's stiff cock. It was so stiff because he had a boner_."

Nathaniel looked on in horror, almost desperate to laugh.

"I know, right?" William said. "It almost makes up for my shitty birthday the other day."

"Pendleton! Van Ness!" John Adams shouted. 

It got their attention and they looked at the Adams professors.

"First announcement; last night, on Valentine's Day, there was a-an _incident_ , involving some of your classmates at Senator Schuyler's house." Abigail said. "They got drunk. And now they're in the hospital because of injuries they received." 

"Don't drink when you're underage." John Adams said. 

"Second announcement," Abigail began, "if you had sexual intercourse last night-under any circumstances-and protection wasn't used, then make your way to the counsellor. There is one male and one female. They will assist you."

"Use a condom." John said, gruffly. 

"Yes..." Abigail took a breath. "It's come to my attention that there have been several cases of harassment within my department." She said. "As you all should know by now, I am the Dean of History and most of you take classes within my department. Yes, last year there was a _horrific_ accident in which a student was left paralyzed from the waist down and I'm sure we all know who that student is, by now." She paused. 

"However, because the victim was a popular student, it does _not_ give anybody here the right to attack the other student involved in the accident by either hitting, scratching, biting, punching, kicking, pushing, name calling or telling them to go and kill themselves anonymously on Facebook, because I have heard reports that everything I listed has actually happened. However the Facebook cyber bullying is the most pervasive and I am saying this now in front of you all; if I catch anyone within my department doing such a terrible thing again, I will not hesitate to expel you from the university before you can say 'history', now am I clear?"

The way in which she spoke scared half of the people on the auditorium. Nobody had _ever_ witnessed Abigail Adams lose her cool before then.

* * *

**To: Freckles**

**Yo! How's life back in New York?**

**To: Wheels**

**Everyones in hospital**

**To: Freckles**

**holy fuck what the shit happened?**

**To: Wheels**

**I dunno. I just came back from my little brother's funeral and everyone's been admitted to hospital.**

**To: Freckles**

**your little brother died?**

**To: Wheels**

**James.**

**To: Freckles**

**holy shit, John I'm sorry.**

**To: Wheels**

**Not your fault Alex. The big C. Actually, the big L. Lymphoma. But My other siblings loved seeing me when I went back to SC.**

**To: Freckles**

**how'd your dad take it?**

**To: Wheels**

**id rather not thing abour it. I mean it was great to see martha and Henry again. Not so much My dad. And Mary disnt even know who I was. She's five now. She wouldn't remember me.**

**To: Freckles**

**oh John, I'm really sorry.**

**To: Wheels**

**In other news man, I hear Peggy's pregnant.**

**To: Freckles**

**Oh yeah, I know. She told me in December.**

**To: Wheels**

**Why you? Whats so soeckial abour you? And December holy shit that's ages ago!**

**To: Freckles**

**I'm her bestie John, her bff. Bffs tell each other shit. And yeah, I know shes been preggers for a while. Since I was in that medical induced coma**

**To: Wheels**

**Holy motherfucker. I'm gnna have worss with her. If she didn't lose tha baby.**

**To: Freckles**

**She get an abortion?**

**To: Wheels**

**Nope. She fell down sharis and broke her arm. She's black and blue all over.**

**To: Freckles**

**Sharis?**

**To: Wheels**

**Stairs.**

**To: Freckles**

**Seems like everything's gone to shit without me here.**

**To: Wheels**

**It really has. We need you back, Alex. Come home soon.**

* * *

_**ahammyham**_ : what the hell's gone on while I've been away?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : everything. Your the glue holding our group together.   
_**ahammyham**_ : specifically, what happened?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Hercules got drunk and threatened everyone. Sally tried to diffuse the sutuation but he pushed James out the window  
_**ahammyham**_ : oh boy.  
_**sallyh**_ : he's lucky not to have been arrested or expelled.  
_**sallyh**_ : then again Jefferson punchedLaf for no reason.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Laf was in ICU last night too with breathing difficulties.  
_**sallyh**_ : broken ribs. Doctors gave thema chest drain and now heMs out of ICU. But they will be in hospital for a few days.  
**ahammyham** : and aws Jefferson arrested for assault?  
**sallyh** : no  
**_theoboostrump_** : No.  
_**sallyh**_ : but i haven't seen Professor Washington or Professor Washington cry like that before.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Lafs fonna be ok tho.  
_**sallyh**_ : can't say the same for Angelica.  
_**ahammyham**_ : what happened to Angelica?  
**_sallyh_** : Aaron stabbed her.  
_**ahammyham**_ : WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Yeah, I know.  
_**ahammyham**_ : He shoots me and then stabs my sister in law-ish?  
_**ahammyham**_ : Would be sister in law, I guess.  
_**sallyh**_ : it was a drunken accident.disk was just waving a knife aroundcarekessly and Angelica was stsbbed.  
_**ahammyham**_ : is it bad?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Siperfucial. She's still in hospital, but she doesn't like, need a blood transfusion or anything.   
_**theoboostrump**_ : you needed a LOT of those, man.  
_**trtlfckr666**_ : you lost more than your blood Alex. The fact that you're alive is a miracle. Literally. You should be dead.  
_**sallyh**_ : But they did have to resuscitate you a lot. And you were clinically dead for a few minutes too.  
_**trtlfckr666**_ : oh yeah, but like Jesus you came back. And unlike Jesus, you kept dying and coming back.   
_**theoboostrump**_ : so more like Jean Grey or Wolverine really.  
**_sallyh_** : or Batman  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Or Superman.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Or Vibe if you watch the Flash TV show. He dies like on average every six episodes. And a lot in the comics too.   
_**ahammyham**_ : Okay, stop naming superheroes who die and come back a lot.  
_**sallyh**_ : Our oroganil point was that you know it's not bad when angwlica still has her original blood.  
_**ahammyham**_ : But everyone else is ok right?  
_**sallyh**_ : Jefferson broke Herc's hand  
_**ahammyham**_ : what?  
_**sallyh**_ : but only because Herc dumped hot chocolate on his face.  
_**ahammyham**_ : I repeat what?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : I think Jefferson had to go to the burn unit or aomething. I don't know, I was too busy with Aaron who was having his stomach pumped from alcohol poisoning   
_**sallyh**_ : again.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : oh yeah, again.  
_**ahammyham**_ : again? what to you mean again?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : last time, you were in a coma and he blamed himself and got drunk and physicaly assaulted Willaim VanNess  
_**ahammyham**_ : everythig happens when I'm either out of the country or unconscious, doenst it?  
_**nedical &proud**_: What's going on here? My phone is buzzing nonstop. And that annoying plink noise.  
_**ahammyham**_ : who's this guy?  
_**nedical &proud**_: Your old pal from St Croix, Ned Stevens.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Old pal? I thought you were brothers!  
_**ahammyham**_ : brothers?!!!!  
_**sallyh**_ : you two DO look an awful lot like eachother  
_**marialewis**_ : They let me out of the hospital now! Yay!  
_**ahammyham**_ : why were you in the hospital?  
_**marialewis**_ : Broken nose and cheekbone. I had stitches and a concussiontoo.   
_**theoboostrump**_ : hey Maria, settle something for ys, Ned and Alex look a lot like each other right?  
_**marialewis**_ : aren't they luke balf brothers or something?  
_**nedical &proud**_: no were not!  
_**ahammyham**_ : you kidding me?!!!!!!!  
_**sallyh**_ : let it go down in the history books that future doctor Edward Stevens and future Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton look almost exactly alike.   
_**theoboostrump**_ : so alike that they were mistaken for brothers.  
_**marialewis**_ : or clones of Lin-Maunal Miranda  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Ooh yeah! Alex is Clone 1 and Ned is Clone 2, instead of Thing 1 and Thing 2.  
_**nedical &proud**_: if anyone's going to be Clone 1 it's me, because I'm older.   
_**theoboostrump**_ : Yeah but Alex was here frist.  
_**marialewis**_ : in other news, Laf's going better. I saw them today and they looked kind of pitiful.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : I need to go see them.  
_**sallyh**_ : how's everyone else?  
_**marialewis**_ : Eliza's waiting for surgery and she's got a bunch of metal sticking out of her arm now.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : ew.   
_**sallyh**_ : way to upstage Peggy's broken arm. Just break it worse.  
_**ahammyham**_ : Paggy broke her arm?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : oh yeah, she fell down stairs and she's pregnant too.   
_**sallyh**_ : dangerous.  
_**marialewis**_ : Angelica's getting discharged later today if there's no pronlems.   
_**ahammyham**_ : but Angelica was stabbed.  
_**sallyh**_ : it wasn't a bad stab.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : Not like when you were shot and put in a coma and kept alive by machines.  
_**nedical &proud**_: What?!!!!  
_**ahammyham**_ : it wasn't like that!  
_**theoboostrump**_ : (it was)  
_**sallyh**_ : I can share that picture again if you like.  
_**ahammyham**_ : what picture?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : don't do it!

* * *

Sally _did_ share the photo in the group chat. From Hercules' phone. There it was again with Alex and his grey skin, looking like death warmed over. The tubes sticking out of everywhere, the wires stuck on almost every available piece of skin and the tape holding everything to his body. Machines surrounding him and the IV bags-a blood bag-he looked like he could die at any given second and the most glaringly obvious sign of his condition was the breathing tube down his throat. Because he couldn't breathe for himself. 

John had left the group chat to make food and he wasn't expecting to come back to what he had. He picked up his phone and typed in his password and there was the photo. John bit his lip. It felt like a lifetime ago, but it wasn't even three months ago. He'd almost forgotten how terribly injured Alex had been. That photo was nothing but a stark reminder.

"Oh my good god, Alex." 

John's head snapped to the side-it was only Ned. Looking like he was about to cry. They'd told him that Alex had been shot, Alex had told Ned that he'd been shot, Ned had seen Alex in his wheelchair so he knew he'd been shot. But nobody had ever told Ned how severe Alex's injury had initially been. 

"Hey, it's okay." John said. "Alex is fine now."

"I'll bet it didn't feel fine back _then_." Ned showed John the photo. 

"No. It didn't." John admitted. "We were all so very scared. And we pushed each other away. We all spent a lot of our time crying and pacing and crying even more. And I took it out on everyone."

"I didn't even know." Ned said. "I assumed that once I got here, Alex and I would run around having fun like we used to on St Croix before the hurricane."

"How do you know Alex anyway?" John asked. 

"My family sort of fostered him." Ned explained. "It's complicated." He looked down at the photo of his dear old friend Alex. "You know his father's still alive, right?"

"What?" John's eyebrows shot up. "Seriously, what?!"

"James Hamilton Sr is still alive." Ned repeated. "And Alex knows it."

"He's _not_ an orphan?" John asked. "That's what he's told us for years-"

"He embellishes some details." Ned said, looking down at the photo again. "Always has done. I thought..." 

"You thought he'd done that when he was shot."

"I thought he was lying about it. Well, not lying so much, but... Exaggerating it."

John shook his head. "I don't think Alex even knew the full extent before now."

"Alex always had a healthy imagination." Ned said. "He'd be better off as a fiction writer."

"Too bad he can't imagine gay sex and we've had it several times." John snorted.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen his fan fiction?" John asked.

Ned shook his head. "I didn't know he wrote fan fiction. But it doesn't surprise me that Alex writes it. See, we grew up in the West Indies. We heard the _real_ stories of the pirates of the Caribbean. The ones that weren't Disneyfied. They were bloody and gruesome and Alex savored every gory detail."

"There were _real_ pirates in the Caribbean? Wait, there were real _pirates_? That aren't from Somalia?"

"John Laurens. I can tell that history isn't your strong point. Is it?"

"No, I'm doing veterinary science and art."

"Odd mix." Ned said. "I first met Alex when he was ten. His mother... Was less than reputable. It was only a few months after they arrived in St Croix that James Hamilton Sr upped and left the family. Maybe two months."

"When you say 'less than reputable'...?"

"She slept around." Ned replied. "She was married to this guy and then she left him and slept around St Croix and went to St Kitts and slept around there and then she settled in Nevis for a few years with this guy James Hamilton."

"Oh wow. How do you know-?"

"Rachel Faucette was _notorious_ on St Croix." Ned replied. "Everyone knew her name and when she moved back, everyone knew her face. Because they'd seen it in photographs."

"I didn't know." John said. Learning about Alex's early years made his certainly seem a lot easier, even though they were pretty bad themselves. 

"Two years after she arrived, she got Yellow Fever." Ned said. "Alex got it too. He was in intensive care for a few days because his fever was so high. And he was puking a lot before his fever spiked. But whereas Alex was able to be saved, his mother wasn't. She died."

"Alex mentioned that his mother died when he was twelve." John said. 

"He didn't mention that his kidneys nearly gave up on him?"

John's eyes widened. "No." 

"He made it to the funeral though. That was really... Shocking. People didn't usually die of Yellow Fever. Usually, they got the goddamn vaccine. Alex went to live with his cousin, then he killed himself-"

"The cousin?"

"Of _course_ , the cousin. Peter Lytton. Alex is still alive. But it was dragged up again in public that Alex and James Jr's mother had had another relationship with James Hamilton Sr and had two kids. You know, while she had still been married to her husband. Did not go down well, even in the 2000's. What was it by now? 2008? Yeah, either 2008 or 2009. Anyway, long story short, Alex and James were left impoverished after that. _Literally_ penniless. And another family guardian died and they were left no money in the will. By then, Alex was fourteen and had been on St Croix for four years."

"No _wonder_ he doesn't like to talk much about St Croix."

"And after the death of his uncle, Alex was sent to live with my family and James went off with a carpenter. That's when I got to know Alex better and we become best friends. He got himself a part time job and everything pretty much went... Okay for him. At last. I mean, besides that one day when we were talking on Facebook he told me that he wished for a war-"

"Oh yeah. That sounds like Alex alright." John said. "He's threatened to join the army a few times-I don't really know what to make of that now, but I guess he's always just wanted to martyr himself like that."

"Look up 'martyr' in the dictionary and you'll find a picture of Alexander Hamilton." Ned said. "After Hurricane Sandy destroyed our island, Alex wrote a piece and had it published in the newspaper. It was melodramatic for sure, but people bought into it because there had just been a massive hurricane that had killed many people. And the surviving people raised money for his education. That was about the time that Americans adopted our orphaned children. Alex left with a family, but we kept in touch."

"The Mulligans." John said. "Hugh and Sarah Mulligan. Irish immigrants. But they consider themselves to be ex-pats. You said his father was still alive. Whe-where is he?"

"Yeah, James Sr lives in St Vincent and the Grenadines." Ned said casually.

* * *

_**ahammyham**_ : who's fhat?  
_**sallyh**_ : That's you  
_**ahammyham**_ : it isn't because I don't have skin like Roger the alien in Americandad.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : alex, you nearly died.  
_**screwtrump**_ : Sally why are you bringng this up again?  
_**sallyh**_ : to show alex how close he was to dying.  
_**screwtrump**_ : Eliza told me he died a few times. Clinically dead.  
_**sallyh**_ : on the operating table.   
_**sallyh**_ : Alex, they wouldn't have put hou in a medically induced coma if you worenr badly enough injured.   
_**screwtrump**_ : because of the blood you lost, they put you in a coma bacajse you lost oxygen to your brian which could have neen brain damage.  
_**sallyh**_ : That and so spare you pain.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : You were operated on a lot. They had to fix your insides too.   
_**sallyh**_ : yeah, at one point your damaged insides were just hanging out with like plastic wrap covering them.  
**_sallyh_** : Herc has a picture of that too, let me find it...  
_**screwtrump**_ : Sally no! We don't need to see that one.  
_**sallyh**_ : Aw.   
_**screwtrump**_ : I really don't want to see alex in the hospital like that. Disgusting. I'm still frying to forget thet he WAS shot and looked like that  
_**ahammyham**_ : theats not me!  
_**screwtrump**_ : that. is. you!  
_**sallyh**_ : you nearly died, Alex. You're paralyzed because of it. You need to accept it.   
_**theoboostrump**_ : I know it's hard to accept, but hou need to for yourself.  
_**ahammyham**_ : what would you know about accpting beng disabeked?  
_**theoboostrump**_ : more Thant you'd thing. I have MS, Alex. Remember?  
_**ahammyham**_ : oh. Yeah.  
_**sallyh**_ : how's London anyway?  
_**ahammyham**_ : it's okay.  
_**ahammyham**_ : lin took me to see some of the sighets. But mostly I've been hanging with his wife Vanessa. The press there think im lin. Lol  
_**theoboostrump**_ : you do look a lot like him.  
_**sallyh**_ : True.  
_**screwtrump**_ : And considering you're with his wife...  
_**screwtrump**_ : and that time Lin Mirana tewwted that eh was paralysed  
_**theoboostrump**_ : of course they're fonna thing your him.  
_**ahammyham**_ : oh shit. Yeah. Forgto about that,  
_**sallyh**_ : Yeah. There go you.   
_**ahammyham**_ : I'm also in ohysical therepy here too. It sucks.  
_**screwtrump**_ : When are you coming back?  
_**ahammyham**_ : after the Oscars, linMs takinf me.  
_**sallyh**_ : luckyyyyyy  
_**theoboostrump**_ : that is awesome.  
**ahammyham** : so at the end of this month, beginning of next.  
_**screwtrump**_ : enjoy yourself but eemembr we need you back toon. Someone had to resore order andnthats you.  
_**ahammyham**_ : will do Peggy.   
_**ahammyham**_ : oh I have to go jow, Lin's walking Tobi  
_**theoboostrump**_ : who's Tobi?  
_**ahammyham**_ : his dog. I have to go! Byyyyeeeeee!  
_**sallyh**_ : Do you really think he'll be back?  
_**screwtrump**_ : nah. He's staying there forever. Id do that if inwere him.  
_**theoboostrump**_ : me too tbh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! It's the introduction of Abigail Adams! I've been meaning to introduce her for a while.  
> If you haven't read Alexander's fanfiction, there's a link in the text where Nathaniel and William are discussing it and if you missed it, here's another; http://archiveofourown.org/works/9564995  
> And what William reads are actual quotes from it. It's deliberately badly written.  
> William Van Ness's birthday is February 13th.  
> Abigail Adams is the Dean of History, making her higher ranking than her husband. In other words, she's his boss.  
> Poor Aaron Burr has been bullied by his classmates because he shot Alex. Because it would be unrealistic if he hadn't.  
> Alex is 'Wheels' and John is 'Freckles'.  
> John's surviving siblings were Martha, James, Henry and Mary. I'm ignoring the other seven who historically died either in childbirth or infancy because it doesn't really fit the modern day.  
> What Laf had was a real thing. It's called a Pleural Effusion. It's where fluid is in the pleural membrane around the lungs and makes it hard to breathe. Which can happen with rib fractures. If Laf wasn't getting enough oxygen, then it would be off to the ICU for them.  
> There you go, Angelica's fine. No serious injury for her.  
> When John says 'The fact that you're alive is a miracle', it wasn't intended to be a Hamilton reference, though it can be read as one if you so wish.  
> Other comic book heroes and villains who die and get resurrected a lot include: Mr Immortal, Professor X, Cable (like mother's clone, like son), Stryfe (like mother's clone like son's clone-jeez), X Man (Like mother's clone, like son's clone... 's clone from an alternate universe-oh my god, I give up), Nick Fury, Punisher, Moon Knight, Joker, Magneto, Resurrection Man, Thor, Doctor Strange, Captain America, Spider Man and Doctor Who. And Kenny from South Park was also going to get a mention there.  
> When Sally said this; "let it go down in the history books that future doctor Edward Stevens and future Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton look almost exactly alike." It totally did.  
> 90% of what Ned told John is historically accurate!  
> 1) Alexander Hamilton did embellish his life and daydream a lot-he was a bit of a Walter Mitty.  
> 2) They did grow up hearing stories of blood, violence, gore, duels and yes, pirates. And Alex enjoyed it. I imagine it as being like Moana at the beginning of Moana where Grandma Tala is telling the story of Maui to the children.  
> 3) Yes, there were lots of pirates in the Caribbean. Disney kind of whitewashed it a lot. They were super rapey and enjoyed burning down villages. You know, like pirates actually did.  
> 4) Alexander Hamilton arrived on St Croix when he was ten.  
> 5) His mother really did sleep around. She went to jail for it. But she wasn't a whore or a prostitute as she didn't charge money.  
> 6) She really was notorious on St Croix.  
> 7) She really did die of Yellow Fever. Alexander Hamilton contracted it too. But he didn't go to intensive care because there wasn't such a thing back then. He had the 18th century equivalent.  
> 8) He really did make it to her funeral which was that same week.  
> 9) His kidneys did sort of give out.  
> 10) There is a vaccine for Yellow Fever.  
> 11) Peter Lytton killed himself. In a very bloody fashion. His father James Lytton died not long after and both left Alexander Hamilton and James nothing in their wills.  
> 12) Rachel Faucette had been married to a dude called Michael Lavien (who was Jewish) and she upped and left him, slept around and had two kids with James Hamilton Sr. While she was still married.  
> 13) It's true! After James Lytton died, Alexander Hamilton went to live with the Stevens family and James Hamilton Jr went to live with a carpenter and trained under him with an apprenticeship.  
> 14) Also true! Alexander Hamilton wrote in a letter to Ned Stevens "I wish there was a war".  
> 15) James Hamilton Sr was totally alive when Alexander Hamilton went to New York AND he lived in the Grenadines.  
> There we go.  
> Also, sorry this chapter's late. I was busy with my musical theatre society and the amount of research I had to do for this chapter was unbelievable.


	8. Respira

"Here's hoping this party goes off without any problems." Eliza said as she and Maria put out the presents, ready for Angelica to open later. She wasn't there because she had to take Peggy to the doctor to see her wrist. At least that's what everyone was told. 

In reality, Peggy had asked Angelica to come with her to get her first ultrasound scan to check on the baby. Initially, Angelica had refused, but Peggy needed someone there if something were to go wrong. Why it couldn't be Lafayette, she didn't know. 

"Yeah, we all suffered from the last party." Maria said. "Except for Theo and Sally. And John, who wasn't even there." 

"At least the worst injury was my broken arm." Eliza glanced down at the blue cast covering from her knuckles to her elbow-thumb included. "It could have been so much worse."

"Laf could have died, though." Maria pointed out.

"Yeah, but Laf's out of the hospital now. They're fine." Eliza said. "I had to have surgery."

"They have to rest though." Maria said.

"Good thing we don't plan for this party to be strenuous." Eliza set a present down on the table and flexed her fingers on her injured arm. 

"More like 'good thing Thomas Jefferson isn't invited'." Maria said. 

"I know Jefferson's usually the one to cause the trouble, but it was Hercules Mulligan that time." 

"He did kind of stir it though." 

"I'm just relieved that nobody got shot this time." 

"Angie got stabbed." 

"Angelica's fine though. She just needed stitches." Eliza paused. "And a new ball gown."

"It's a shame." Maria said. "That was a beautiful ball gown."

"So, have you got any gossip?"

"Well, according to Professor Adams-"

"Which one?" Eliza asked. 

"Abigail." Maria said. "Aaron's been getting hate mail."

"Hate mail?" Eliza was taken aback. "Why?"

"Because he shot Alex."

"That was George Eacker's fault though."

"Still hasn't stopped people from making a Facebook page telling Aaron that he should go and kill himself."

"... What?!"

"She read some of the posts out too." Maria shook her head. "There was one she read out that I thought was particularly disturbing."

"What was it?"

"I don't even want to repeat it." Maria said. "But it involved clubbing Aaron over the head and setting him on fire."

"Jeez." Eliza blinked, not knowing what to say. "How can people be so _mean_?"

Maria nodded, knowing Eliza didn't have a bitter bone in her body-including the ones that were broken. 

"Poor Aaron. Seriously. I feel really sorry for Aaron. He doesn't deserve any of this hate. It's not like he's trying to take over Mexico or anything." Eliza shrugged. "Or even trying to build a border wall with Mexico and make them pay for it."

"Yeah, Donald Trump is _way_ more deserving of hatred than Aaron Burr." Maria said. 

"He's a bigger dick than Jefferson." 

"How _is_ Jefferson?" 

"Seething."

"No, I mean his face." Maria clarified. 

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't seen him in a while. Not since Valentine's Day anyway." Eliza shrugged. "I know that James is okay though."

"After falling out a window like that?" Maria scoffed. "No way. I'm surprised he didn't end up in a body cast."

"Well, it was a ground floor window." Eliza pointed out. "So he only had a few cuts and bruises and a concussion."

"Good that he's okay though." Maria said.

* * *

Angelica was driving Peggy home after the appointment in total silence. Neither of them were sure what to do. What to say. Angelica was angry and upset and confused-she was feeling a mix of emotions. Peggy was scared. 

"Peggy..."

"Don't say it, Angelica." Peggy said. "I know."

"No. You don't." Angelica said. "You have _no_ idea. How... Fucking upset I am right now."

"I can't help what goes on inside my body, Angelica-"

"Your life is ruined!"

"It's not HIV-"

"HIV would be preferable."

"You'd rather I have HIV?"

"Yes!" Angelica cried. "Because HIV is manageable! Pregnancy is not! You are carrying life inside of you-life that you'll pop out in about six months!" She groaned and gritted her teeth. "This has got to be the most irresponsible thing that you've ever done-having sex without a condom. With your cousin."

"Angelica, here in New York, it's been legal to marry your cousin for over a hundred years-and me and Stephen aren't related by blood-"

"Just because it's legal, doesn't make it right!" Angelica snapped. 

"But Eliza and John-"

"John just lived with us." Angelica said. "He wasn't adopted, hell, he wasn't even fostered! Dad just looked out for him when John's own dad failed to."

Angelica pulled up on the Schuyler driveway and parked her car. She rested her head on the steering wheel.

"Angelica, are you okay?"

"Just go, Peggy." Angelica mumbled. "Just go."

Peggy nodded and mouthed 'okay' before she left the car.

Angelica lifted her head to see her younger sister go into the house. She got out of the car and locked up, following Peggy inside. 

"Surprise!" Everyone cheered as Angelica made her way into the main room. 

"You want a surprise?" Angelica asked. "Here's your surprise," she didn't wait for an answer, "party's over. Go home."

"What? Why?" Lafayette asked.

"Because I'm asking you to."

"But Angelica, you're twenty one." Aaron protested. "This is a big birthday."

"Your birthday was spoiled by John's brother dying." Angelica said. "Mine was spoiled by a trip to the hospital. And I did _not_ get great news. Everyone, go home."

The party guests looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What did they say, Angelica?" Theo asked gently.

"Ask Peggy." Angelica walked out of the room seething. This caused everyone to turn to Peggy. 

"What happened?"

"Are you okay, Peggy?"

Lafayette wrapped their arms around her, careful not to hurt their ribs further. 

"Laf, I'm fine." Peggy pushed them away. 

"Are you not dying?"

"I'm not dying." Peggy said.

"Then what happened?" Lafayette asked. 

"Laf... I'm pregnant..."

"I know, you said on Valen-"

"With twins."

Lafayette's eyes widened. "Oh. Well... That's... _Very_ different." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only two more chapters left guys!  
> And finally, I have an answer with what's wrong with me, why I've been ill. I have Herpes in my throat. And I'm asexual, and in all my (23) years, never so much as even kissed a boy, so I'll leave you to ponder that one as I've been doing. Really though, it's more likely to be shingles or mono.  
> On to the notes!  
> First off, a question-is it 'in case' or 'incase'? Because the latter just looks wrong to me.  
> Now the notes:  
> Angelica Schuyler's birthday was February 20th. I know all the Hamilsquad's birthdays. All of them. Because I googled them. Google is your friend. Your creepy friend that watches you. Okay. Google is your big brother.  
> Eliza's cast is blue because blue is her assigned color to n Hamilton.  
> Aaron's hate mail is literally one I received as a review on one of my stories. Needless to say, it was promptly deleted and kind of ignored.  
> Eliza saying 'at least he didn't try to take over Mexico'... Well, if you don't know that story, I'll let you find out on your own. If you do know it, no spoilers.  
> Yep, James Madison is fine. And so is Thonas Jefferson. The hot chocolate wasn't that hot. Minor second degree burns. I know burns aren't minor, but when they just cause redness and a few small blisters, they are. He'll be fine.  
> Something my sex ed teacher said while some girls in my class were pregnant (we were 15). He literally said that it's better to get HIV than to be a teen mother. But he encouraged condom use, at least.  
> It is legal for cousins to marry, have sex and children in New York, but not uncles and nieces.  
> What do you think of that ending? And who do you think is the father?  
> Lastly, Firestar, I donated £10 (roughly $13) for Syrian refugees on your behalf for winning the contest.  
> Then I donated another £10 for everyone else who participated.


	9. I'm Out, I Don't Know It's Time to Go

James came home from his lecture to see Thomas watching TV on the couch. It had been weeks and they were still sleeping apart. James called his parents up at the beginning and end of every day, he texted them to tell them where he was going and yet... He felt he couldn't trust Thomas at all. He didn't feel safe around him and what had happened on Valentine's Day had just exacerbated that. 

Yeah, Thomas had pushed him at Alex's leaving party. But he'd broken Hercules' hand on Valentine's Day because he was angry. It didn't take too much to set him off these days. James didn't know why. But it was best to just not question it. In case Thomas got violent again.

James then went into their shared bedroom and opened a drawer. He sighed as he took out his cellphone and dialed a number. 

" _Jemmy_?" 

"Dad." James said. "I'm leaving Thomas."

* * *

**_ahammyham_** : What up, guys?  
_**ahammyham**_ : im bored.  
_**ActualAngel**_ : I didn't realize london was that bofing  
_**ahammyham**_ : I'm not in longon   
**elizaluvspuppies** : then where are you?  
_**ahammyham**_ : I'm on a plane, bound for la.  
_**screwtrump**_ : la what?   
_**ActualAngel**_ : Duh. La Paz, Mexico.  
_**elizaluvspuppies**_ : i thouht it was La Granja in Chile.  
_**wait4it**_ : don't be stupid now, it's La Plata Argentina  
_**theoboostrump**_ : well he's just in London so it's la santa in spain  
_**I-Am-Lafcelot**_ : what about la maya in cube?  
_**I-Am-Lafcelot**_ : I mean Cuba  
_**screwtrump**_ : cube. Lol.  
**_hunkules_** : la vega in Dominican Republic  
_**ahammyham**_ : are you just nameing places beiginning with la?  
_**sallyh**_ : la cieba in Honduras?  
_**trtlfckr666**_ : La Campina. Puerto Rico.  
_**screwtrump**_ : oh yeah! That makes most sense  
_**screwtrump**_ : And LMM is Puerto Rican anyway, isn't he?  
_**ahammyham**_ : no, he's american.  
_**ahammyham**_ : his parents are puerto rican.  
_**ahammyham**_ : but even then they're american because puerto rico is part of America.  
_**screwtrump**_ : so which la are you going to?  
_**ahammyham**_ : los angeles  
_**ActualAngel**_ : that's a good la.   
_**elizaluvspuppies**_ : I've never been to LA before.  
_**ahammyham**_ : clearly this was a mistake coming on here. Bye.  
_**trtlfckr666**_ : enjoy your're oscar ceremony.

* * *

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

Alex, I should probably tell you something

_**Alex Hamilton** _

What?

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

I'm expecting twins

_**Alex Hamilton** _

Well, shit.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

I know. It's pretty bad, is't it?

_**Alex Hamilton changed username to You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

This username says it all.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

Alex! I wanted comfort not this!

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

We'll it's hardly a lie

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

It can't really be that bad, can it.

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Refer to my new username.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

Do you know what angelica said yesterday?

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

No. Because I wasn't there. But she didn't seem too happy when I wished her a happy birthday

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

That was my fault

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

What did you do?

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

I took her to my ultrasound 

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

I can see this Is going well.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

But she said she's rather me have hiv than be pregnant

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Well, you can manage HIV to it doesn't turn to AIDS

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Look at Magic Johnson.

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Anf charlie sheen

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

And Lin's close buddy Javier.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

Are you saying you'd rather me have aids than be pregnant

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

I'd preferyou to be neither.

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Prenant or hiv+

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

It's ot like Rent Peggy.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

So now you're saying I should have an abortion?!

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

I didn't. I just said I didn't want your to

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Be either! Your life is ruined! It's over

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

It's not!

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Yes! It is!!

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Teen mothers are more likey to commit suicide, die from compliations of childbrith or drop out of school! 

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

And kids born to teen mothers are more lukely to either go to jail ro become teen parents themselves!

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

I'm not goin to die in childbirth

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

But your kids most certainly will be premature. 

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Kids born to teem jothers often are and so are twins-therre's no hope for the little buggers!

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

Is that British slang?

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Yeah. Brtian's rubbed off on me.

_**Peggy Schuyler** _

I'm still not sure what to do

_**You Ruined Your Life Peggy** _

Do what you want, Peggy. Just don't expect me to babysit

* * *

Abigail Adams was sitting in her office, going over some paperwork on her computer. There was a knock on her door and she spun around in her office chair to see Charles Lee. 

"Charles. Please take a seat."

"Is there any particular reason you want to see me, Professor Adams... Ma'am?" Lee asked. 

"Alexander Hamilton-"

"I had nothing to do with Alex being shot or Aaron being told to set himself on fire, cut off his penis and eat it cooked."

Abigail was taken aback and confused slightly. "What?" She shook her head. "No. No, not about that." 

"Oh. Then what?"

"As you are aware, Alexander is a paraplegic now." Abigail began. "And you signed yourself up for student volunteering."

"Yes." Lee nodded. Then it dawned on him. "No." He said. "No, anything but that-"

"So I'm assigning you to be Alexander's buddy."

"Oh dear god no." Lee put his head in his hands. 

"Don't be like that." Abigail said. "Alexander is a nice young man. You're a nice young man. Spend some time and get to know him. You might surprise yourself."

"Yeah I doubt it." Lee muttered. 

* * *

_**BigBrother**_ : Guess what I overheard?  
_**wait4it**_ : what?  
_**BigBrother**_ : Lee has to spend time with Hamilton when he gets back.  
_**sallyh**_ : What, seriously?  
_**BigBrother**_ : Oh yeah. Abigail Adams mandated it.  
_**elizaluvspuppies**_ : I don't know who to pity more.  
_**wait4it**_ : defiantly Alex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not many notes today.  
> So this is mainly setting up some important plot points for the next story. But there's still one left to go and it's from Aaron and Theo. Check in with them in the next and final chapter.  
> The 'La' places all exist. I googled them.  
> Peggy and Alex were talking privately on Facebook.  
> Everything Alex said is true, from the guys who are HIV+ to the complications of teen pregnancy.  
> Finally, I've only read a few chapters so far (about three) of CurlyAndQuote's fanfic "The Revolutionary Apocalypse" and I can safely say that it's one of the better stories I've read here. It was a pleasure to check out their story as the runner up to the small contest. Like I know I was going to recommend it, but even if I wasn't, I still would. It's got a good amount of drama and humor-okay, mostly drama. But drama's good. I like drama.  
> So if you haven't already, go check it out!


	10. Oye Que Paso?

Everyone was gathered in John and Alex's apartment. After finding out that Alex had gone to Los Angeles with Lin-Manuel Miranda, they got slightly more confident that Alex was coming back. Even though he'd be better off back in Britain, far away from Orange Nightmare Donald Trump.  

"Get your Oscar picks in!" Peggy hollered across the small apartment. "One hour to go! Get 'em in now, folks!"

James handed Peggy his sheet and Peggy looked over it. 

"You think La La Land will sweep?" She asked. 

"Well, yeah." James shrugged. "The musical wasn't really great, but that shit's Oscar bait, you know."

"You think it'll win Best Song over _Lin-Manuel Miranda_?" Peggy narrowed her eyes.

"Yes."

"Get out."

"Peggy." Angelica warned. "Be nice." She handed her sheet over to her sister.

"You think Lin-Manuel Miranda will win the Oscar." Peggy said as she glanced over the sheet.

"Yep." Angelica nodded. "Disney songs and James Bond songs pretty much always win the Oscar. Just look at Man or Muppet from 2012. And Adele's Skyfall won the next year."

"True. True." Peggy nodded. "This is Lin's year! He _has_ to EGOT."

"You mean except for the part where he went into a coma and woke up paralyzed, right?" Angelica asked. 

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot about that." Peggy said. "They'll have to give him the Oscar now, out of sympathy or something. It's too bad he didn't die-"

"Peggy!"

"Because we all remember Heath Ledger, right?"

"Peggy, you can't just say that."

"Well, he nearly died in a year where everyone was dying." Peggy pointed out. "Last year alone we lost R2-D2, Admiral Ackbar and Princess Leia on top of David Bowie, George Michael, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Debbie Reynolds, Merle Haggard, Professor Snape, Prince, Chekov, Willie Wonka, Muhammad Ali, Leonard Cohen-"

Angelica held up her hand. "I'm gonna stop you there, Peggy, I remember who died." 

"Here, Peggy." Eliza handed over her sheet. 

Peggy glanced over it. "You think Hidden Figures will win the Best Picture Oscar?"

"I do, yes." Eliza said. 

"That one's  _clearly_  going to La La Land." Angelica said. 

"I think La La Land will win the Best Original Screenplay, but not the Best Movie." Eliza said, defending her decision.

"Why?"

"Ten musicals ever have won the Best Picture-"

"Yeah, that's ten musicals. So they  _do_  win." Angelica said.

"But not often."

"Because they're not nominated often."

"Chicago was the last one that won." Eliza said. "That was in 2002 and-"

"You think Zootopia will win the Best Animated Picture over Moana?" Peggy interrupted.

"Yes."

"I just noticed something, both of those movies are about racism." James said. "Hidden Figures and Zootopia."

"Yeah, they are, Eliza." Peggy narrowed her eyes slightly. "Are you trying to tell us something?"

"That I don't like Donald Trump."

Peggy shrugged. "Tell me something I  _don't_  know." She looked down at the sheet again. "Best Song goes to Justin Timberlake?"

"I just really like that song." Eliza said quietly. 

"Not to Lin or La La Land?"

"La La Land was  _shit_." John said from the couch. "Biggest pile of crap I ever saw. Also the whitest pile of crap I ever saw." He took a sip from his beer. "And  _that's_  why it's gonna sweep the Oscars."

"Because it's crap?" Peggy raised an eyebrow. 

"Because it's  _white_." John said. "I know they made their Oscar voters more diverse, but hey, they still don't actually have to see the movie they're voting for in order to vote for it. The reason that movies are Oscar buzz is because the media says it is. Voters probably go along with it and... Bam! The movie wins an Oscar. When has that never happened? They said it with The Artist, they said it with 12 Years a Slave, they said it with Birdman, Argo, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, The King's Speech, Forrest Gump, Schindler's List, Titanic-it's always the same. And look, they're  _all_  white movies."

"But Slumdog Millionaire is set in India and 12 Years a Slave is about black slaves." James frowned. 

"Yeah, but they're still white movies." John argued. "The director of Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle, is white."

"But Steve McQueen, the director of 12 Years a Slave is black. And the writer, John Ridley, is also black." James pointed out.

" _One_  movie among  _all_  those white ones." John scoffed. 

"And then there's the director of Birdman-" Eliza began.

"Alejandro González Iñárritu." Angelica said. "I just googled him." She added. "He also did The Revenant."

"Yep. Him." Eliza nodded. "He's Mexican."

"But the movie's still a white one." John took another sip of his beer.

"Two of the screenwriters were  _Argentinian_." Angelica said. 

"It was made for a white audience with a... White cast, therefore, the movie is a white one." John said. 

"John has a point." Peggy shrugged. "What should I put you down as, John?"

"Viola Davis, Best Supporting Actress, Mahershala Ali, Best Supporting Actor, Zootopia, Best Animated Picture, Piper, Best Animated Short, Hidden Figures, Best Adapted Screenplay, Star Trek, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, The Salesman, Best Foreign Language Film, The OJ film, Best Documentary, Jungle Book for Visual Effects, I don't know any of the live action short films, but La La Land will win everything else-sound editing, sound mixing, directing, song, soundtrack, picture- _everything_. Purely because Hollywood loves to stroke their-mostly white-massive egos."

"Lafayette?" Peggy turned to them. 

"I want the In the Heights and Mercy guy to win. But I think it will be La La Land." They said. "It is, how you say, unfortunate. But Lin Miranda will lose."

"Did you ask Alex for his picks?" Eliza asked. 

"Yeah. He gave me his picks." Peggy confirmed. 

"Hey, guys." Hercules entered the apartment with Sally and Ned. "Hope we didn't miss anything."

"No, we were just going over who we think will win." Peggy said. "Getting our picks in."

"You're running the pool as always, Peggy?" Hercules asked.

"You know it." Peggy smiled. "So, who do you think will-"

"La La Land." Hercules, Ned and Sally all said in unison.

"Best Song-"

"La La Land." They all said again. 

"There's two songs nominated." Sally reasoned. "One of them is going to win."

"And steal Lin-Manuel Miranda's EGOT." Peggy muttered. "Best Animated-"

"Moana-"

"Zootopia-"

"Kubo and the Two Strings-"

The three said, overlapping each other. They turned to each other and frowned.

"Ned, why Kubo?" Peggy asked. 

Ned shrugged. "I preferred it to Moana and Zootopia."

"What about the turtle movie?" Peggy asked.

John's head snapped up and he stood up quicker than anyone realized was humanly possible. "There was a  _turtle_   _movie_?!"

"John  _really_  loves turtles." Hercules whispered in Ned's ear.

"Yes, John." Peggy rolled her eyes. "There was a turtle movie." 

" _That_ should win-"

"John, you're not an Oscar voter." Peggy scoffed. "You were just complaining about the whole process."

"And you're just in a mood because you know Lin-Manuel Miranda's never gonna EGOT." John said. 

"Wow. Uncalled for." Peggy said. 

"We know it's true. Trump will destroy the world before he can win." John said. He snatched Peggy's phone. 

"That's mine!" She protested.

"According to Facebook, even Alex doesn't believe Lin will EGOT." John carried on reading. "And Lin knows he'll lose to La La Land." 

"That's my personal-"

"At least Davis and Ali are locks." John handed her phone back. "Otherwise it'd be another flaming case of Oscars so white."

* * *

The next morning, everyone was still sleeping on John's apartment floor after the Oscars party, which had mostly gone off without a hitch. Even though Aaron and Theo came late. In the end, John had ended up being right about almost everything. 

Except he didn't anticipate that he would live in a world in which Lin-Manuel Miranda was robbed of an Oscar, while one was handed out to Suicide Squad. It wasn't that Superhero movies don't tend to win Oscars, but one was given to Suicide Squad, which is a bad film. While they _had_ expected the Best Song to go to La La Land, they hadn't really expected _that_. The Oscar Winning Suicide Squad. 

What John _also_ hadn't anticipated was that La La Land would be announced as Best Picture-well, he did. But it was what came next that he _truly_ hadn't anticipated. 

The bit where Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced La La Land as the winner, but the winner was _actually_ Moonlight. Everyone's jaw had all collectively dropped to the ground and they went speechless, almost as much as they had when Lin-Manuel Miranda performed How Far I'll Go from Moana in a wheelchair with Auli'i Cravahlo. 

It was, after all, Lin-Manuel Miranda's first public appearance since he became 'paralyzed' and it was the Oscars and not only that, he was performing. He became one of an elite group-disabled people nominated for an Oscar. Not many disabled people get nominated for Oscars. It's usually the people playing them. Lots of people tweeted about that and the performance. Almost as many as tweeted about the La La Land mixup.

Speaking of, among the friends, there had been a lot of drunken celebrating and taking the piss out of La La Land and M Night Shyamalan, like he planted the envelope and gave it to Warren Beatty, who gave it to Faye Dunaway who read it out. 

And by now it was roughly midday. The only person that was awake was Theo. She was styling her hair in John's bathroom, wearing nothing but her underwear-her clothes were draped over the toilet with the seat down. She looked down at her stomach. The reason she had been late to the Oscars party was that she'd been throwing up. She'd actually been doing that far too much since around Valentine's Day. 

Aaron had offered to take her to the hospital and even though she had insurance for another year, she refused. She didn't know what was wrong with her. Actually, she did. She just hoped it wasn't. Hoped in vain. 

That was when the phone rang, interrupting her from her thoughts. 

John woke up and half asleep, answered it. 

"'Lo?"

" _John, it's midday in New York_." The voice was Alex's.

"Yeah? Alex?" John asked groggily.

" _No, it's Lin-Manuel Miranda._ " Alex's voice dripped with sarcasm. " _Of course it's Alex_."

"What?"

" _I'm coming home tomorrow_."

"That's soon."

" _February twenty eighth, John_." Alex said. " _Last day in February_."

"Didja have a good time in London and LA?" John asked. 

" _I've got a day left here, John. It's only nine in the morning_."

Theodosia had crept from the bathroom, with her clothes on, and into the main room, giving John a nod as she stepped over almost everyone else to get to the kitchenette.

"Oh. Oh yeah." John said. "I forgot. So how is your clone?"

" _Disappointed that he didn't EGOT. But he has a bajillion Tonys so he shouldn't feel too bad. And an Emmy. And a Pulitzer. And a couple of Oliviers. And_ -"

"I get it, he has a lot of awards." John rubbed his face. "Did you enjoy your night?" 

" _Despite that Lin didn't win and then there was the flub that Bonnie and Clyde announced La La Land as the winner but it was actually Moonlight._ " Alex chuckled. " _I actually did_."

"Good. Good." John nodded. "Are you any closer to figuring out why you and Alex are connected? Because it's the same thing with me and Anthony Ramos."

" _Yeah, Lin's wife Vanessa is having all our DNA looked into_." Alex replied.

"That's good. I can't wait to see you tomorrow, Alex. I swear, I'm going to kiss you. You been gone too long."

" _I know. I've missed you and the guys so much_." Alex said. " _But you need me more than I need you. You're falling apart without me_."

"Ha. Yeah." John yawned. "We are."

Theo made a silent gesture to John, that she wanted to talk on the phone.

" _Hang on, Theo wants you_." John handed the phone to Theo and flopped back down on the floor. 

Theo took the phone and crept away. "Hey Alex." She said. 

" _Theo. What... What's wrong?_ " He asked. 

"I heard about what you did for Peggy."

" _And what did I do for Peggy?_ "

"You kept her secret." Theo crept into the bathroom. "So what do I do?"

" _What do you mean?_ "

"Alex, I think I've been experiencing morning sickness."

" _Oh god. You too_?"

"Hey, I'm twenty one."

" _You're still only in your third year of your course_."

"I'd have the baby in my last."

" _I'm not babysitting_." 

"It'd be fun." Theo said. "You carrying Theodosia Jr on your wheelchair and rolling her to sleep-"

" _Who says the baby's gonna be a her?_ " 

"Nobody, I just assumed."

" _Theo, you have MS. Tell Aaron_."

"I will." Theo promised. "When he's less hungover." 

" _Have you done a pregnancy test yet?_ " Alex asked.

"No." Theo said.

" _Okay. Well, I bought one for Eliza when we started dating last year, just in case._ " Alex explained. " _It's Clearblue. In a box. You should find it under the sink_."

Theo frowned slightly and knelt down as she held her phone on her shoulder with her head. She opened the cupboard and looked around. 

" _Do you see it?_ "

"Yeah, I see it." Theo said, taking the box and holding the phone in her hand once again. "It was by the toilet bleach."

" _Okay. I'm sure you know how to do the rest._ "

"I know how to take a pregnancy test, Alex. You pee on the stick." 

" _Well, no_." Alex said. " _ **You'll** be doing that._ "

Theo grunted as she once again held the phone on her shoulder and opened the box. "I can't believe I'm doing this." She took the stick out. "It looks so weird."

" _Well, you pee on it_."

"I don't need to pee."

" _Think of fountains_."

"Alex."

" _And rivers._ "

"Alex."

" _And gushing waterfalls._ "

"Alex."

" _Niagara Falls._ "

"Now I need to pee." Theo grunted again. 

" _Good girl._ " Alex said. " _Pee on the stick and tell me the outcome. I'll wait._ " He began humming down the phone.

Theo took the phone and sat it on the edge of the sink while she did her thing with the pregnancy test. She flushed the toilet and washed and dried her hands before picking up the phone again. 

"Alex? Still there?"

" _... and that's why I said-_ " He stopped abruptly. " _Yeah. I'm here. Well?_ "

"Nothing yet." Theo looked down at the pregnancy test. 

" _Are you nervous_?"

"I've been less anxious when I walk into exams I haven't prepared for." Theo said. 

" _Theo. It's going to be okay_."

"I know." She looked at the stick again. "Oh. Something's happening."

" _Yeah?_ "

"I'm..." Theo stared at the stick in disbelief.

" _Theo! Don't keep me in suspense!_ " Alex said.

" _Not_ pregnant." Theo said in a small voice. "But I-I don't understand. I've been puking for the past week and a half."

" _I think you should see a doctor, Theo. This sounds serious._ " Alex's tone had changed too. " _Tell Aaron. He's a bit of a dick, but he'll understand._ "

"I'm scared."

" _Theo. Tell Aaron._ " Alex said firmly.

"I will." Theo said. "I will."

* * *

On the other side of America, Alex hung up his phone and put it in his pocket. He then turned his wheelchair so that he was facing Lin, who was eating and chatting to his mother in Spanish. 

"Lin." Alex said. "We have a problem."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! What about last night's Oscars? Pretty wild, huh? Especially the La La Land mixup. Yikes.  
> I stuck my own opinion in there. I saw La La Land. I didn't think it was anything more than a popcorn flick. How it was nominated for all those awards is beyond me. The satisfaction I felt when Moonlght won Best Picture is indescribable.  
> I honestly didn't believe that La La Land would win Best Picture anyway.  
> John's critique of the Oscars is pretty much word for word from a debate I had with a friend on Facebook.  
> Steve McQueen and John Ridley are black, Alejandro González Iñárritu is Hispanic, two of the writers of Birdman were Argentinian and González Iñárritu also directed, produced and wrote The Revenant.  
> I can't believe that Lin-Manuel Miranda lost an Oscar while one was given to Suicide Squad. That's my own emotions coming out right there.  
> Yeah, in this world Lin still performed at the Oscars with Auli'i Cravalho. Only he did it from his chair because his legs don't co-operate so good since Alex was shot. I imagine it would be widely talked about.  
> Also, Lin brought Alex to the Oscars as well as his mother. In a deleted scene, the press had a field day.  
> And that's it. Story's over.  
> The Next story will be called "Everything's Easier When You're Home" and things will be tackled such as:  
> How Alex and Lin and John and Anthony are connected to each other  
> Peggy dealing with her pregnancy  
> Thomas trying to win James back  
> Certain events from history  
> And whatever's going wrong with Theo  
> On top of another few visits to the Hampocalypse world.  
> Look out for that. It will be going up in a few days.


End file.
